*4& 


»~ 


MARRIED  A  SOLDIER 


LYDIA  SPENCER  LANE 


I  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER 


OR 


OLD  DAYS  IN  THE  OLD  ARMY 


BY 


LYDIA   SPENCER   LANE 


PHILADELPHIA 

J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT    COMPANY 
1893 


COPYRIGHT,  1892, 

BY 
J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY. 


PRINTED  BY  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY,  PHILADELPHIA. 


PREFACE. 


IN  sending  forth  this  account  of  incidents  in  my 
army  life,  I  claim  for  it  no  literary  merit;  I  have 
simply  given  facts  without  any  attempt  to  elaborate 
them. 

First  intended  for  my  children  and  grandchildren, 
I  afterwards  thought  this  narrative  might  be  accept- 
able to  army  friends,  and  to  many  of  a  younger  gen- 
eration who  are  interested  in  the  old  army. 

To  the  former  the  scenes  described  may  awaken 
long-forgotten  experiences  in  their  own  lives ;  to  the 
latter  it  will  carry  the  conviction  that  they  will  never 
be  called  upon  to  endure  what  we  did. 

To-day  there  is  no  "frontier;"  the  wilderness 
blossoms  as  the  rose;  our  old  deadly  enemy,  the 
Indian,  is  educated,  clothed,  and  almost  in  his  right 
mind ;  railroads  run  hither  and  yon,  and  the  great 
trains  of  army  wagons  and  ambulances  are  things 
of  the  past,  whatever  civilization  may  follow. 

The  hardy,  adventurous  element  in  those  early 
pioneer  days  will  ever  possess  an  interest  of  its  own, 
and  I  venture  to  hope  that  the  record  of  my  own 
experiences  will  contribute  somewhat  to  the  history 
of  those  heroic  times. 

AUGUST  1 8,  1892. 

3 

0788*51 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER 

OR 

OLD  DAYS  IN  THE  OLD  ARMY 


I 

"  AND  so  they  were  married,"  and  this  is  how  the 
marriage  notice  read : 

"In  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  May  1 8,  by  the  Rev- 
erend Merwin  Johnson,  Lieutenant  William  B.  Lane, 
U.S.  Mounted  Rifles,  and  Lydia  Spencer,  youngest 
daughter  of  the  late  Major  George  Blaney,  U.S. 
Engineer  Corps"  (or  words  to  that  effect). 

The  ceremony  was  short,  the  marriage  feast  not 
elaborate,  and  after  it  was  over,  the  farewells  spoken 
amid  hearty  good  wishes  for  our  future  happiness, 
we  started  for  Jefferson  Barracks,  Missouri,  where 
Lieutenant  Lane  was  to  be  stationed.  Travelling  at 
that  time  was  not  as  rapid  as  it  is  now,  and  several 
days  passed  before  we  reached  the  end  of  our  jour- 
ney ;  but  it  was  over  at  last,  and,  until  our  quarters 
were  ready  (two  rooms),  we  were  kindly  entertained 
by  Major  and  Mrs.  Charles  Ruff,  Mounted  Rifles. 
Our  housekeeping  was  on  the  smallest  scale,  as  we 
were  to  remain  but  a  short  time  at  Jefferson  Barracks. 

We  messed  with  the  young  officers.  It  was  a  sad 
and  anxious  summer  for  us  all.  Cholera  was  epi- 
demic, and  scarcely  a  day  passed  that  we  did  not 

i*  5 


6  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

hear  the 'solemn  notes  of  the  "  Dead  March."  Often 
there  were  two  or  three  funerals  in  the  twenty-four 
hours. 

The  victims  were  principally  among  the  soldiers. 
Only  two  of  our  friends  died :  the  wife  of  the  late 
Dr.  J.  B.  Wright,  U.S.A.,  being  one  of  them,  and  the 
other,  Lieutenant  Ferdinand  Paine,  who  was  ill  but 
a  few  hours.  He  had  gone  on  as  officer  of  the  day, 
in  the  morning ;  at  midnight  he  was  dead. 

Lieutenant  Paine  had  an  Indian  boy  with  him, 
whom  he  had  brought  from  Oregon.  The  boy  was 
extremely  ill  with  cholera,  and  Mr.  Paine  nursed 
him  faithfully,  which,  possibly,  was  the  cause  of  his 
own  illness  and  death.  It  required  more  than  a  col- 
lapsed case  of  cholera,  it  seemed,  to  kill  a  Digger 
Indian.  He  recovered ;  his  master  died. 

The  boy  was  learning  to  wait  on  the  table,  at  the 
mess.  One  morning,  when  he  handed  me  a  plate 
of  cakes,  I  asked  if  they  were  hot.  He  took  the 
shortest  way  to  find  out,  by  laying  his  hand  on  top 
of  the  pile !  "  Yes,  sir,"  he  said  ;  but  I  did  not  take 
any  cakes  that  morning. 

Captain  (afterwards  Major-General)  Hancock  and 
his  wife  were  at  Jefferson  Barracks  that  summer. 
He  had  just  been  appointed  captain  in  the  Quarter- 
master's Department.  I  did  not  meet  him  again 
until  after  the  war,  and  was  much  surprised  and 
pleased  to  find  he  remembered  me;  his  memory 
was  better  than  that  of  some  of  our  old  army 
acquaintances;  after  they  had  risen  in  the  world, 
they  "  forgot  the  days  of  small  things." 

After  a  stay  of  three  months  at  Jefferson  Barracks, 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  J 

we  packed  up  our  very  few  worldly  possessions  and 
left  for  the  East,  making  a  side  trip  to  Kentucky,  en 
route  to  visit  our  Southern  relatives,  and  where  I 
knew  I  would  see  many  things  I  never  saw  before; 
and  I  did, — different  manners  and  customs,  different 
people,  from  any  I  had  ever  known.  How  kind  and 
hospitable  they  all  were ;  how  they  wanted  to  enter- 
tain us,  and  give  us  all  they  had !  Some  old  family 
servants  walked  miles  to  see  "  Massa  Will's  young 
wife." 

We  went  direct  to  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  from 
Kentucky,  to  await  the  return  of  cool  weather,  when 
we  were  to  join  the  regiment,  then  stationed  in 
Texas.  It  was  unsafe  to  go  South  before  there  was 
sufficient  frost  to  destroy  the  germs  of  yellow  fever ; 
but  we  went  too  early,  after  all. 

About  the  middle  of  October  orders  were  re- 
ceived for  Lieutenant  Lane  to  accompany  a  large 
party  of  officers  and  recruits,  going  to  Texas.  So 
we  set  off  immediately  for  New  York,  and  joined  the 
command  on  board  the  good  ship  "  Middlesex," 
Captain  Parmelee.  When  I  was  hoisted  up  on 
deck,  I  found,  among  other  friends,  General  Sylves- 
ter Churchill,  who  was  making  an  inspection  of  the 
ship  and  troops.  The  first  thing  I  did  was  to  rush 
at  him,  and  he  ran  to  me,  gathered  me  up  in  his 
arms,  and  kissed  me.  When  Lieutenant  Lane  ap- 
peared, he  was  much  astonished  to  see  what  was 
going  on;  though  the  dear  old  man  had  known  me 
always,  he  had  never  seen  Lieutenant  Lane.  Expla- 
nations followed,  introductions  were  made,  and  peace 
in  the  family  was  restored. 


8  /  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 

The  ship  proved  to  be  an  enormous  sailing  vessel, 
with  ample  accommodations  for  three  hundred  and 
sixty  recruits, — some  having  wives  and  children, — 
besides  several  officers  and  their  families.  Among 
the  officers  were  Colonel  Sidney  Burbank,  Captain 
Ricketts,  Zenas  R.  Bliss,  not  long  out  of  West  Point, 
I  think,  Dr.  Albert  Myer,  who  was  afterwards  chief 
signal-officer  of  the  army,  Lieutenant  Lane  and  my- 
self, and  possibly  others  whom  I  have  forgotten. 

We  sailed  away  bravely  from  New  York,  but  one 
by  one  we  left  the  deck,  so  roughly  did  old  Neptune 
treat  us. 

Most  of  us  were  lost  to  view  before  the  land  was 
out  of  sight.  It  was  Saturday  when  we  hoisted  sail, 
and  not  until  the  following  Thursday  did  I  again 
appear  at  table ;  the  weather  was  rough  and  stormy, 
and — well,  we  had  not  much  appetite.  I  found 
things  in  our  state-room  in  dreadful  confusion  when 
I  was  well  enough  to  look  after  our  belongings.  A 
huge  bundle  of  Bibles  had  been  stored  under  the 
lower  berth,  for  what  purpose  I  never  knew,  unless 
for  distribution  among  the  Texas  heathen.  My  travel- 
ling-bag and  a  large  bottle  of  wonderful  hair-tonic 
were  there,  too,  besides  a  quantity  of  candy  for  the 
voyage,  and  various  other  articles.  Imagine  all  these 
things  mixed  together  in  a  mass, — cork  out  of  the 
bottle,  candy  melted  by  the  contents  of  it,  and  the 
soft,  sticky  stuff  spread  over  everything.  The  Bibles 
had  broken  bounds,  and  were  in  the  thickest  of  it. 
With  the  assistance  of  the  stewardess  the  debris  was 
soon  cleared  away,  and  order  restored. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


II 

THE  days  on  board  ship  were  often  tedious,  es- 
pecially along  the  Florida  coast,  where  we  were  be- 
calmed for  some  days,  and  the  heat  was  very  great. 
The  big  ship  lay  almost  helpless  on  the  quiet  waters, 
only  rising  and  falling  with  the  ocean  swell,  but  no 
headway  was  made.  We  had  become  well  acquainted 
with  our  travelling  companions  by  that  time,  and  we, 
with  Dr.  Myer  and  Mr.  Bliss,  being  the  youngest  of 
the  party,  naturally  drew  close  together ;  hours  we 
passed  talking  of  home  and  our  future,  forming  a 
friendship  which  we  thought  would  be  life-long ;  but 
Zenas  R.  Bliss  I  have  never  seen  since,  and  Dr. 
Myer  became  a  great  man,  and  forgot  us,  I  suppose. 
I  have  still  a  small  sketch  of  Hole-in-the-wall,  on 
Abaco  Island,  drawn  for  me  by  Dr.  Myer.  As  well 
as  we  could  see  from  the  ship,  there  was  an  immense 
hole  in  a  rock,  through  which  the  water  dashed  with 
great  violence.  We  also  saw  numbers  of  enormous 
green  turtle,  sunning  themselves  on  the  beach  of  the 
small  islands  in  our  course.  Looking  over  the  side 
of  the  vessel,  I  noticed  masses  of  what  I  took  to  be 
rock,  and  was  much  alarmed,  expecting  the  ship 
would  be  dashed  to  pieces ;  but  my  fears  were  al- 
layed when  told  it  was  only  sponge  that  I  saw  in  the 
clear,  green  water. 

The  monotony  of  the  voyage  was  broken  occa- 


IO  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

sionally  by  the  appearance  of  numerous  little  boats 
from  the  islands  near  by,  manned  by  the  natives,  who 
had  fruit,  shells,  and  various  curiosities  for  sale,  and 
which  they  urged  us  to  buy.  We  did  invest  in  some 
very  large  sea-shells,  never  dreaming  they  were  in- 
habited. A  few  days  after  we  bought  them  a  dread- 
ful odor  came  from  the  shells,  and  there  was  a  burial 
at  sea  immediately.  The  occupant,  deprived  of  his 
native  element,  died  within  his  dainty  pink  walls,  and 
was  returned,  though  too  late  to  benefit  him,  to  the 
briny  deep. 

But  one  death  occurred  on  board  the  ship,  and  it 
was  a  soldier's  child,  almost  a  baby,  that  was  taken. 
Every  one  was  present  on  deck  when  the  short 
funeral  services  were  read  over  the  little  body,  which 
had  been  securely  wrapped  in  canvas  and  heavily 
weighted,  that  it  might  sink  instantly  when  consigned 
to  the  watery  grave. 

When  all  was  ready,  the  remains  were  placed  on  a 
board,  which  was  gradually  slanted  until  the  little 
white  bundle  slowly  and  surely  approached  the  end 
of  it.  Finally,  with  a  dull  splash,  all  that  was  mortal 
of  the  poor  baby  disappeared  in  the  quiet  waters  and 
was  seen  no  more.  The  mother's  agony  was  heart- 
rending, as  she  saw  the  ocean  close  over  her  darling, 
leaving  no  trace  behind. 

We  had  been  out  from  New  York  two  weeks  when 
we  sighted  the  coast  of  Texas,  but,  as  the  weather 
was  dark  and  tempestuous,  the  captain  put  back  to 
sea,  and  it  was  several  days  before  we  again  reached 
Aransas  Pass.  Arriving  there,  we  left  the  big  ship 
which  had  carried  us  safely  through  the  troubled 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  1 1 

waters.  We  were  sorry  to  part  with  Captain  Par- 
melee,  who  had  done  everything  possible  to  make 
the  voyage  agreeable  and  comfortable.  From  the 
ship  we  were  transferred  to  the  "  Josephine,"  an  old 
steamboat  well  known  to  army  people  long  ago. 
Before  leaving  the  "  Middlesex,"  the  captain  gave  me 
a  St.  Bernard  puppy  of  almost  pure  breed,  the  mother 
and  her  litter  coming  with  us  on  the  ship  from  New 
York.  He  was  a  beauty, — jet  black,  with  a  white 
star  on  his  forehead, — and  we  named  him  Parmelee, 
which  we  shortened,  calling  him  Lee. 

Our  voyage  on  the  "  Josephine"  was  not  a  long 
one,  which  we  did  not  regret.  While  walking  about 
the  boat  and  looking  around,  I  noticed,  on  the  lower 
deck,  a  very  much  coiled  and  speckled  mass,  that 
attracted  my  attention  immediately.  I  called  the 
captain,  and  pointed  it  out,  asking  what  it  was.  His 
answer  was  a  cry  of  horror,  and  he  yelled  for  "  Tom, 
Jim,  John,  to  come  out  with  spades,  axes,  shovels, 
to  kill  that  moccasin."  It  was  one  of  the  most 
poisonous  snakes  in  that  region,  and  its  presence 
there  was  unaccountable. 

From  the  "Josephine,"  we  were  taken  on  to  a 
"  lighter," — a  small  schooner,  I  would  call  it, — which 
was  to  carry  us  to  Corpus-Christi.  There  was  only 
room  on  it  for  a  few  of  the  officers,  Colonel  Bur- 
bank  and  family,  Lieutenant  Lane  and  myself.  Other 
transportation  was  provided  for  the  soldiers,  bag- 
gage, etc. 

We  passed  the  night  on  the  "  lighter."  I  cannot 
say  we  slept.  The  accommodations  were  of  the 
most  contracted  description,  there  being  scarcely 


12  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

room  to  stand  upright  in  the  hold,  where  Mrs.  Bur- 
bank,  children,  nurse,  and  myself  were  stowed  away. 
We  improved  our  time  fighting  roaches  and  other 
things,  down  below,  while  the  officers  spent  the  night 
on  deck.  We  made  the  best  of  the  situation,  and 
had  a  very  funny  time,  astonishing  our  friends  above 
us  with  many  a  hearty  laugh.  They  wondered  what 
we  found  down  in  the  depths  to  amuse  us  so  much. 

Our  breakfast  next  morning  was  not  luxurious, 
— bread,  very  good,  without  butter,  fried  bacon,  and 
coffee,  but  no  milk.  We  were  hungry,  and  accepted 
the  simple  fare  most  thankfully. 

We  were  to  reach  Corpus  Christi  about  noon  that 
day.  By  some  means  we  heard,  before  we  landed, 
that  people  were  dying  on  every  side  from  yellow 
fever.  There  had  been  no  frost  up  to  that  time  in 
Texas.  Notwithstanding,  the  troops  were  sent  down 
from  the  North,  regardless  of  the  risk  they  ran,  right 
into  the  midst  of  the  epidemic  then  raging,  and  with 
a  fair  prospect  of  dying  by  hundreds  from  it. 

It  was  dreadful  news  to  us,  as  there  was  no  escape, 
no  running  away  from  it,  nothing  to  do  but  land, 
take  the  risk,  and  trust  in  Providence.  However,  I 
had  "  gone  for  a  soldier,"  and  a  soldier  I  determined 
to  be. 

We  found  our  camp  ready  for  us,  right  on  the 
beach,  at  Corpus  Christi, — tents  pitched  for  officers 
and  men.  They  were  selected  according  to  rank. 
By  the  time  the  young  officers'  turn  came  to  secure 
one,  it  was  Hobson's  choice, — take  what  was  left,  or 
nothing.  I  heard,  afterwards,  a  wall-tent  had  been 
pitched  and  floored  for  us  especially ;  but  we  only 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  13 

saw  the  outside  of  it.  An  unmarried  officer,  who 
had  more  rank  than  Lieutenant  Lane,  and  an  eye  to 
comfort,  appropriated  it  immediately. 

We  were  put  into  a  large  hospital-tent,  with  an 
opening  at  each  end,  which  could  be  closed  when 
necessary.  We  had  no  board-floor  in  it,  and  only 
the  sands  of  the  sea  for  carpeting. 

I  went  into  the  tent  with  a  heavy  heart,  for  I 
expected  nothing  less  than  an  outbreak  of  yellow 
fever  in  the  camp.  Indeed,  the  situation  was  grave 
enough  to  alarm  any  one ;  but  the  very  first  night 
we  spent  ashore  a  violent  norther  struck  the  coast, 
and  the  weather  became  very  cold.  A  heavy  frost 
was  the  result,  and  not  another  case  of  fever  was 
reported  in  the  town ;  but  many  of  those  then  ill 
died,  in  consequence  of  the  sudden  change  in  the 
temperature. 

We  were  very  happy,  of  course,  having  escaped 
the  awful  disease,  and  began  cheerfully  to  make 
preparations  for  the  march  we  had  before  us  to  Fort 
Inge,  Texas,  to  which  post  Lieutenant  Lane  had 
been  assigned. 

One  night,  during  the  norther,  the  wind  blew  a 
hurricane,  and  our  tent  was  torn  open  at  both  ends. 
Between  the  pounding  of  the  waves  on  the  beach, 
the  shrieking  of  the  wind,  and  the  flapping  of  the 
canvas,  the  noise  was  fearful ;  and  I  expected  to  be 
blown  bodily  out  to  sea.  With  the  assistance  of 
some  soldiers,  after  a  violent  struggle,  the  tent  was 
made  secure,  and  we  managed  to  live  in  our  uncom- 
fortable quarters  until  we  left  Corpus  Christi. 


14  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


Ill 

WE  had  an  Irishman,  who  had  gone  with  us  from 
Carlisle;  very  honest  and  good,  though  entirely 
green  as  to  any  knowledge  of  cooking ;  but  really 
not  much  more  so  than  I  was,  in  those  early  days, 
and  I  was  to  teach  him  what  I  did  not  know  myself! 
We  went  to  work  together,  to  cook  the  meals,  which, 
necessarily,  were  of  the  simplest  description. 

I  knew  how  things  ought  to  look  and  taste,  but 
did  not  understand  just  how  to  prepare  them.  For 
a  time,  I  believe,  we  were  obliged  to  eat  soldiers' 
rations, — only  hard  tack,  fried  salt  pork,  and  coffee 
without  milk,  and  I  honestly  tried  to  enjoy  them,  set 
out  as  they  were  on  top  of  the  mess-chest.  An 
empty  candle-box  and  a  bucket  turned  upside  down, 
served  as  seats  round  this  humble  board,  until  we 
could  get  into  the  village,  to  make  a  few  purchases 
of  such  articles  as  we  needed  to  take  up  the  country 
with  us.  We  found  in  the  shops  what  answered  very 
well  for  army  life  at  that  remote  period;  but  a 
second  lieutenant  nowadays  would  not  consider 
our  best  things  sufficiently  good  for  his  kitchen. 

Transportation  was  very  limited,  and  we  were  only 
allowed  room  enough  for  articles  absolutely  neces- 
sary. The  bachelor  officers  often  came  to  the  relief 
of  married  meri,  giving  up  the  space  in  a  wagon  to 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  15 

which  they  were  entitled  for  their  use,  so  that  we 
generally  found  a  place  for  all  we  wanted  to  carry. 

Those  were  the  days  before  railroads  were  even 
dreamed  of  in  that  far-away  country.  Everything 
was  carried  from  the  coast  of  Texas  in  wagons 
drawn  by  mules  or  oxen.  Strangers  arriving  at 
Galveston,  Indianola,  or  Corpus  Christi  had  not 
much  choice  in  the  matter  of  conveyance  for  con- 
tinuing their  journey  into  the  interior  of  the  country. 
An  ambulance,  a  horse,  or  a  mule  made  up  the 
assortment,  and  if  he  could  not  decide  on  one  of 
these  modes  of  travel,  he  must  walk,  or  stay  where 
he  was.  Some  of  those  obliged  to  remain  would 
almost  have  been  willing  to  walk,  for  the  sake  of 
getting  away  from  those  little  towns,  as  they  were 
then. 

All  preparations  were  at  last  made  for  our  march, 
the  orders  given  to  pack  wagons  and  strike  tents. 
An  ambulance  was  provided  for  the  ladies  and 
children, — only  one, — where,  I  was  sorry  to  find,  I 
was  to  ride  daily.  Many  a  weary  hour  I  passed  in 
it,  with  only  space  enough  to  sit  bolt  upright,  when 
I  was  not  diving  under  the  seat  for  the  family  lunch- 
box,  which  was  brought  out  six  or  eight  times  a  day 
for  the  children.  The  mother  and  nurse  were  stout, 
and  it  was  a  serious  matter  for  either  to  get  down 
on  the  floor  and  drag  out  the  box.  I  was  young 
and  slender,  and  was  not  supposed  to  have  any 
objection  to  jumping  up  and  down,  whenever  the 
children  said  they  were  hungry.  I  did  object,  but 
behaved  very  well,  and  tried  to  look  amiable. 

We  travelled  from  Corpus  Christi  to  the  western 


1 6  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

frontier  through  a  dreary,  desolate  country,  where 
nothing  lived  but  Indians,  snakes,  and  other  venom- 
ous reptiles,  and  I  expected  to  see  some  dreadful 
thing  whichever  way  I  turned.  I  never  went  to  bed 
without  making  a  thorough  search  for  a  snake,  taran- 
tula, or  centipede ;  but  in  all  the  years  I  spent  travel- 
ling and  camping,  I  never  saw  a  snake  about  the 
tents,  and  very  few  poisonous  insects,  either,  so  that, 
as  time  went  on,  and  I  did  not  find  the  thing  for 
which  I  watched,  I  grew  careless,  but  not  on  that 
first  expedition,  where  all  was  so  new  to  me. 

By  the  time  we  left  Corpus  Christi  the  St.  Bernard 
puppy  was  growing  fast,  and,  of  course,  with  his 
cunning  ways,  was  a  great  pet  with  everybody.  He 
was  put  into  our  wagon,  on  leaving  camp,  where 
there  was  some  one  to  look  after  him.  But  one  day 
the  watchman  went  to  sleep,  and  our  poor  puppy 
crawled  out  of  the  wagon,  fell  under  the  wheels,  and 
was  killed  instantly.  There  were  great  sorrow  and 
indignation  in  the  camp  when  it  was  known  Lee  was 
dead,  and  the  soldiers  who  pitched  our  tents  would 
not  allow  the  man  who  had  charge  of  him  to  come 
about  the  place.  I  cried  all  day  for  my  puppy,  and 
never  would  have  another. 

Mike,  the  Irishman,  and  I  were  beginning  to  know 
something  of  cooking  by  this  time.  The  viands  were 
of  the  plainest.  We  did  not  attempt  any  dish  that 
required  much  skill  to  prepare.  As  we  had  nothing 
in  the  way  of  bread  but  hard-tack,  we  learned  to 
make  biscuit.  Our  first  effort  was  a  failure, — spoiled 
in  the  baking.  We  had  only  a  "  Dutch  oven"  in 
which  to  cook  bread  or  meat,  and  experience  was 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  I/ 

absolutely  necessary  to  know  just  how  hot  to  make 
it.  Mike  burned  the  first  batch  to  a  coal,  turned  it 
over,  and  baked  the  other  side.  Nothing  daunted, 
I  kept  on  until,  between  us,  we  could  make  most 
excellent  pounded  biscuit. 

After  the  camp  was  in  order  for  the  evening,  and 
supper  over,  Mike  carefully  washed  off  the  top  of 
the  mess-chest  inside,  and  I  made  biscuit  for  the 
next  day.  When  the  dough  was  prepared,  I  pounded 
it  well  with  a  long-necked  bottle,  the  neck  serving 
as  a  handle,  which  answered  the  purpose  very  well. 

Often,  while  the  bread-making  was  going  on,  we 
were  joined  round  the  camp-fire  by  Dr.  Myer  and 
Mr.  Bliss,  and  many  a  hot  biscuit  they  ate,  with  mo- 
lasses, from  a  tin  plate.  Judging  from  the  rapidity 
with  which  the  biscuits  disappeared,  they  must  have 
been  very  good,  indeed.  I  wonder  if  Colonel  Bliss  (it 
is  now)  would  remember  those  evenings  beside  the 
camp-fire  ?  Many  years  after,  I  met  General  Myer 
in  Washington,  and  discovering,  in  a  few  moments, 
how  very  short  his  memory  was,  I  brought  up  some 
incidents  of  the  journey,  such  things  as  no  one  would 
likely  forget.  I  asked  if  he  recollected  how  he  and 
Mr.  Bliss  ate  hot  biscuit  and  molasses.  His  reply 
was  that  he  "  remembered  the  march,  but  not  the 
biscuit  and  molasses."  Poor  man  !  he  is  dead  now. 

We  travelled  along  very  slowly,  but,  to  most  of 
us,  it  was  a  new  experience,  and  not  at  all  unpleasant. 

We  were  glad  when  we  approached  Fort  Mclntosh, 

Texas,  for  several   officers  of  the  Mounted   Rifles 

were  stationed  there,  and  we  were  sure  of  a  hearty 

welcome  and  hospitable  entertainment.     The  day  we 

b  2* 


1 8  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIEK. 

were  expected  at  the  post,  several  of  the  officers 
rode  out  to  meet  us, — W.  L.  Elliott  and  Roger  Jones 
among  them, — and  greeted  us  warmly.  We  were 
driven  at  once  to  the  house  of  the  commanding 
officer,  W.  W.  Loring,  colonel  Mounted  Rifles. 

Captain  W.  L.  Elliott  (afterwards  major-general) 
and  Lieutenant  Roger  Jones  (afterwards  inspector- 
general  of  the  army)  messed  with  Colonel  Loring, 
and  we  enjoyed  our  few  days'  visit  to  them  very 
much.  I  was  treated  with  great  consideration,  being 
the  youngest  and  latest  bride  in  the  regiment.  The 
change  from  camp  life  and  camp  fare  was  extremely 
pleasant  to  us,  and  we  would  have  liked  to  remain 
longer  than  we  did.  It  would  also  have  been  agree- 
able to  our  friends,  I  think,  to  have  us  with  them. 
It  was  seldom  any  one  came  to  their  isolated  post. 
No  one  travelled  in  that  direction  for  amusement  in 
those  days.  Nothing  but  stern  necessity  and  duty 
took  people  to  such  a  desolate  place,  so,  when 
strangers  did  arrive,  they  were  kindly  welcomed  and 
entertained. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  19 


IV 

I  WAS  much  pleased  when  our  kind  friends  at 
Fort  Mclntosh  told  me  that,  when  we  left,  I  should 
have  an  ambulance  for  myself;  so  I  was  perfectly 
independent  in  future,  and  had  all  the  room  I  wanted. 
They  did  not  forget,  either,  to  put  into  it  many  tokens 
of  remembrance,  such  as  luncheon,  champagne, 
books,  etc. 

We  said  good-by  with  much  regret,  when  the  day 
came  to  leave,  everybody  had  been  so  hospitable 
and  kind,  not  only  to  us,  but  to  all  the  officers  in  the 
party. 

The  march  was  resumed  in  the  same  deliberate 
way;  the  soldiers  were  on  foot,  and  we  had  to  keep 
pace  with  them ;  hours  and  hours  we  were,  making 
the  daily  distance  of  ten  or  fifteen  miles  between 
camps.  We  halted  frequently  to  rest  the  men  and 
mules,  and  then  the  ladies  and  children  would  gladly 
get  out  of  the  ambulances,  and  perhaps  walk  along 
the  road  for  a  change ;  but  we  dared  not  get  away 
from  the  command.  It  was  certain  the  Indians  were 
never  far  off,  and  we  kept  very  close  to  the  soldiers. 

In  due  course  of  time  we  reached  Fort  Duncan, 
on  the  Rio  Grande.  It  was  a  wretched  place  to  live 
in,  and  I  am  sure  some  of  our  companions  who  were 
to  remain  there  looked  on  their  future  station  with 
sinking  hearts  when  they  saw  it  for  the  first  time. 


2O  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

Lieutenant  R.  W.  Johnson  took  charge  of  us,  and 
had  a  tent  pitched  for  our  use  in  his  yard,  not 
having  a  spare  room  in  their  house.  We  took  our 
meals  with  them,  which  was  a  real  treat.  He  and 
Mrs.  Johnson  made  us  very  comfortable  for  two  or 
three  days  before  we  started  for  our  own  station, 
Fort  Inge. 

R.  W.  Johnson  is  now  retired  as  major-general 
U.  S.  Army,  and  is  a  wealthy  resident  of  St.  Paul, 
Minnesota.  I  met  him  quite  recently,  and  he  had 
not  forgotten  our  visit  to  Fort  Duncan,  so  long  ago. 

One  of  the  officers  stationed  at  Fort  Duncan  at 
that  time  was  Abner  Doubleday ;  his  wife  was  with 
him,  a  pretty,  refined  woman,  and  she  was  more 
afraid  of  a  mouse  than  anything  in  the  world.  I 
remember  she  had  a  frame  fixed  all  around  her  bed 
and  covered  with  netting  to  keep  them  out.  She 
did  not  seem  to  dread  snakes  at  all,  nothing  but  an 
awful  mouse ! 

All  those  with  whom  we  had  travelled  from  "  the 
States"  remained  at  Fort  Duncan,  to  their  regret. 
We  parted  from  our  friends  sorrowfully,  and  with  an 
escort  of  soldiers  left  for  Fort  Inge. 

During  the  first  day's  travel  we  came  across  a 
camp,  where  we  found  some  old  friends  and  dined 
with  them.  They  were  Captain  and  Mrs.  McLean ; 
she  was  Margaret,  daughter  of  General  E.  V.  Sum- 
ner,  U.  S.  Army.  They  were  comfortably  fixed  in 
tents,  and  seemed  satisfied. 

Quite  a  curious  thing  had  happened  to  her,  just 
before  we  met.  The  tents  had  shelters  made  of 
branches  of  trees  (or  bushes),  to  keep  off  the  sun, 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  21 

built  over  and  around  them,  which  extended  out  like 
a  porch,  making  a  pleasant  shade.  Mrs.  McLean 
was  sitting  sewing  one  day,  with  her  back  to  the 
shelter,  and  as  she  drew  out  her  needle  her  hand 
came  close  to  the  brush,  when  a  snake  darted  out 
and  bit  it.  Naturally,  they  were  much  alarmed ;  but 
the  proper  remedies  were  applied  at  once,  and  no 
bad  results  followed.  She  sat  farther  away  next 
time. 

We  were  three  or  four  days,  if  I  am  not  mistaken, 
going  from  Fort  Duncan  to  Fort  Inge,  and  were 
glad  to  reach  the  place,  forlorn  as  it  was.  The  post 
was  dilapidated ;  but  the  surroundings  were  far 
more  agreeable  than  at  either  Fort  Mclntosh  or  Fort 
Duncan.  A  beautiful  little  river,  the  Leona,  ran 
just  behind  the  quarters,  which  were  built  of  logs, 
and  almost  ready  to  tumble  down.  We  moved  into 
a  vacant  house  of  four  rooms ;  the  kitchen  was  be- 
hind it,  and  was  in  an  advanced  stage  of  decay.  A 
high  wind  might  easily  have  blown  it  over. 

Our  supply  of  furniture  was  not  sufficient  even  for 
four  rooms.  We  had  taken  out  with  us  two  carpets, 
and  enough  pretty  chintz  for  curtains  in  two  rooms ; 
six  hard  (so  hard!)  wooden  chairs,  bought  in  Corpus 
Christi,  and  called  "  Windsor  chairs," — why,  I  don't 
know, — a  bedstead,  centre-table,  a  cooking-stove, 
which  was  about  the  most  valuable  and  highly 
prized  of  all  our  possessions,  and  a  few  other  articles 
of  the  plainest  description.  We  were  well  provided 
with  good  china,  glass,  house-linen,  and  silver.  We 
had  all  we  wanted,  and  were  very  happy. 

The    pay  per   month    for   a   first    lieutenant   of 


22  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

Mounted  Rifles  was  ninety-three  dollars! — vast 
wealth,  it  seemed  to  me.  More  would  have  been 
useless,  for  there  was  nothing  to  buy, — no  stores 
nearer  than  San  Antonio, — so  that  the  commissary 
bill  was  the  only  one  we  owed  monthly,  except 
servants'  wages  and  one  to  the  laundress,  and  we 
saved  money.  The  commissary  furnished  only 
necessary  articles  of  food  at  that  time,  such  as, 
coffee,  flour,  sugar,  rice,  ham,  and  pork,  which  list 
of  eatables  did  not  offer  much  to  tempt  the  appetite ; 
the  day  of  canned  meats,  vegetables,  and  fruits  was 
not  yet. 

Butter,  eggs,  and  chickens  were  brought  to  the 
post  sometimes  from  the  ranches,  eighteen  or 
twenty  miles  away,  the  owners  running  the  risk  of 
being  murdered  by  the  Indians  every  trip  they 
made. 

Game  was  very  abundant,  and  almost  at  our  door ; 
deer,  turkeys,  partridges,  and  ducks  could  be  found 
right  round  the  post,  while  the  lovely  clear  stream 
that  ran  just  back  of  the  house  was  filled  with  mag- 
nificent black  bass,  which  were  easily  caught. 

Behind  the  quarters,  and  extending  to  the  river, 
was  a  grove  of  fine  old  live-oak  trees,  and  many  an 
hour  we  passed  fishing  under  their  shade,  I  for  min- 
nows to  bait  the  hooks  for  bass ;  and  in  a  few  minutes 
I  caught  enough  to  supply  the  fishermen,  who  only 
condescended  to  catch  the  game  fish  in  a  scientific 
manner,  with  rod  and  reel.  Fine  sport  they  had, 
the  bass  taken  often  weighing  six  and  eight  pounds. 

We  became  very  tired  of  all  the  fine  game,  and 
would  have  welcomed  a  good  beef-steak  as  a  luxury. 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  2$ 

There  were  so  few  soldiers  at  the  post  that  beef  was 
issued  only  once  or  twice  a  month,  and  was  really  a 
treat 

It  was  fortunate  for  us  there  was  such  a  supply  of 
game,  for,  almost  from  the  day  we  began  housekeep- 
ing, we  had  guests  to  entertain, — people  passing  from 
one  post  to  another, — and  we  had  more  than  our 
share  of  them.  When  meat  was  not  to  be  had,  an 
hour's  fishing  and  hunting  gave  us  all  we  required. 
We  had  no  vegetables  except  rice,  hominy,  and  beans. 
Macaroni  was  a  stand-by,  but  we  had  to  send  to  San 
Antonio  for  it. 

Mike,  with  the  help  of  my  old  family  receipts,  had 
become  quite  a  good  plain  cook,  and  was  kept  busy 
with  our  numerous  guests.  The  first  one  on  the 
list  was  a  Texas  Ranger,  Captain  Walker.  I  suppose 
he  was  a  militia-man,  employed  by  the  government 
to  look  after  Indians  on  the  Western  frontier. 

Our  little  centre-table  was  the  only  one  we  had, 
and  did  not  answer  very  well  for  three  people  to  sit 
at  and  hold  the  various  dishes  at  dinner;  some 
rested  on  the  floor,  others  on  chairs,  but  this  did  not 
have  the  least  effect  on  the  captain's  healthy  appetite. 
It  was  all  we  could  do,  so  we  did  not  apologize. 

We  became  very  weary  of  entertaining  people  of 
whom  we  knew  nothing ;  but  there  was  no  hotel  nor 
house  of  any  kind  where  they  could  go,  so  the  officers 
felt  themselves  obliged  to  look  after  their  comfort 
and  take  them  in. 

I  remember  one  very  cold  night,  at  Fort  Inge,  we 
heard  the  rattle  of  an  ambulance  coming  into  the 
garrison,  then  stop  at  our  house.  First  an  elderly 


24  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

woman  stepped  out,  then  a  fat  man,  followed  by  two 
young  men.  As  no  one  came  forward  to  help  us 
entertain  these  citizens,  we  had  to  do  the  best  we 
could  for  them.  We  were  only  able  to  provide  a  bed 
for  the  old  couple,  and  the  young  men  slept  in  the 
ambulance. 

Our  supply  of  bedding  was  very  limited,  outside 
of  what  we  needed  for  ourselves.  Our  only  mattress, 
pillows,  and  blankets  were  laid  on  the  parlor  floor 
for  the  lady  and  her  husband,  while  we  shivered  all 
night  on  a  straw  under-bed  and  such  miscellaneous 
covers  as  we  could  gather  up.  We  gave  our  visitors 
all  we  had,  but  I  do  not  think  they  ever  felt  grateful 
for  what  we  did.  They  almost  ruined  our  best 
carpet,  during  their  stay,  by  spilling  something  on 
it,  and  trying  to  wash  out  the  stain.  We  never  saw 
them  after  they  left,  and  did  not  remember  their 
enforced  visit  with  much  pleasure.  We  had  the 
honor,  that  winter,  of  entertaining  a  young  German 
baron.  He  certainly  did  not  return  to  the  Father- 
land with  the  idea  that  the  officers  of  the  United 
States  Army  lived  very  luxuriously,  after  staying  at 
our  quarters  and  dining  at  our  frugal  board. 

Fort  Inge  was  a  one-company  post,  commanded 
by  Captain  Thomas  Duncan,  Mounted  Rifles.  Later 
in  the  winter,  Colonel  George  B.  Crittenden,  Mounted 
Rifles,  took  command,  and  Doctor  Howard,  of  San 
Antonio,  was  sent  to  look  after  the  sick.  Mrs.  Dun- 
can and  myself  were  the  only  ladies  at  the  post. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  2$ 


V 

IN  February  husband  was  granted  a  short  leave 
of  absence,  and  we  made  a  visit  to  San  Antonio,  and 
Austin,  where  Dr.  R.  N.  Lane,  my  brother-in-law, 
was  practising  medicine,  and  well  known  to  many 
army  people. 

We  left  Fort  Inge  in  an  ambulance,  with  no  escort ; 
Mr.  Lane  and  the  driver  were  supposed  to  be  a  suf- 
ficient guard  through  a  country  where  there  were 
some  small  settlements  and  a  house  to  sleep  in  eveiy 
night. 

At  the  end  of  the  first  day's  ride,  we  found  Dhanis, 
a  small  German  settlement,  where  one  Mr.  Finger 
kept  a  house  for  wayfarers.  The  ladies'  bedroom — 
there  seemed  to  be  but  one — was  small,  with  a  low 
ceiling,  stone  floor,  and  large,  open  fireplace.  The 
furniture  consisted  of  a  bed,  wash-stand,  some  ex- 
tremely uncomfortable  chairs,  and  a  small  table,  on 
which  our  meals  were  served.  With  a  big  fire  of 
dry  logs,  we  felt  quite  content,  after  being  in  the 
cold  wind  all  day.  The  fare  was  simple,  but  not 
bad,  and,  with  healthy  appetites,  we  enjoyed  the 
novelty  of  the  situation. 

In  all  my  wanderings  I  have  never  come  across 

another  such  bed  as  that !     It  was  shaped  just  like 

an  egg,  and  we  had  to  cling  like  bats  to  stay  in  it  at 

all,  and  had  very  little  rest.     I  am  sure  Mr.  Finger 

B  3 


26  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

would  have  been  surprised  had  we  told  him  the  bed 
was  uncomfortable.  The  ladies'  chamber  was,  I 
think,  the  pride  of  the  house.  Men  were  put  to 
sleep  in  a  room  that  opened  into  the  stable,  and  an 
army  officer  told  me  he  awoke  suddenly  one  morn- 
ing, and,  on  looking  up,  saw  a  horse's  head  just 
above  his  own. 

The  next  stop  we  made  was  at  Castroville,  where 
we  found  quite  a  nice  house  kept  by  a  quaint  old 
French  woman, — Madam  Tardee, — well  patronized 
by  army  people  at  that  time.  The  house  was  clean, 
and  the  fare  better  than  one  would  expect.  The  bed- 
rooms, up-stairs,  were  divided  by  canvas  partitions, 
and  we  had  to  whisper  if  we  did  not  want  to  be 
heard  all  over  the  house.  Later  on  we  found  canvas 
played  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  building  of  Texas 
houses.  Sometimes  one  whole  side  would  be  made 
of  it,  the  occupants  intending,  "  some  day,"  to  re- 
place it  with  more  substantial  material. 

On  the  third  day  we  drove  into  San  Antonio, 
stopping  at  the  Plaza  House,  then  the  best  hotel  in 
the  town.  It  was  on  the  main  Plaza,  not  far  from 
the  Cathedral.  San  Antonio  was  more  Mexican 
than  American  then,  and  the  foreign  style  of  archi- 
tecture interested  me  very  much ;  also  the  gardens, 
filled  as  they  were  with  tropical  trees  and  unfamiliar 
plants  and  flowers. 

After  resting  at  San  Antonio,  we  drove  to  Austin, 
taking  three  or  four  days  to  make  the  distance.  We 
found  some  very  pleasant,  cultivated  people  at  Austin, 
among  them  Miss  Annie  Swisher,  whom  Dr.  Lane 
eventually  married ;  a  brighter  woman  I  never  met 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  2/ 

anywhere.  Tom  Ochiltree,  the  celebrated,  was  at 
that  time  an  Austin  society-man. 

In  two  weeks  our  leave  was  up,  and  we  left  for  the 
Western  frontier.  We  travelled  two  days,  without 
incident  or  trouble,  from  San  Antonio  towards  Fort 
Inge.  Though  the  drive  on  the  third  day  was  long 
and  tedious,  we  hoped  to  reach  the  post  soon  after 
dark.  The  roads  were  heavy  from  recent  rains  ;  any 
one  at  all  familiar  with  the  black  and  sticky  Texas 
mud  can  understand  the  meaning  of  "  heavy  roads." 
Evening  came  upon  us  when  we  were  still  many 
miles  from  the  fort.  The  mules  showed  signs  of 
giving  out,  and  the  prospect  of  reaching  home  that 
night  was  anything  but  bright. 

Husband  and  the  driver  held  a  consultation  on 
the  situation ;  it  was  certain  the  mules  could  travel 
no  farther.  The  driver  thought  there  was  a  place 
not  far  off  the  road,  where  we  might  be  allowed  to 
spend  the  night ;  so  we  turned  into  a  dim  path,  fol- 
lowing it  until  we  came  to  the  house.  It  was  so 
dark  by  this  time  we  could  scarcely  see  where  we 
were  going;  but  the  door  was  found  at  last,  and, 
after  thundering  on  it  with  tremendous  force  time 
and  again,  a  voice  called  out,  "  What  do  you  want  ?" 
Husband  answered,  "To  stay  all  night."  "You 
can't  do  it."  "  But  we  must ;  there  is  a  lady  here, 
our  mules  are  broken  down,  and  we  cannot  go  on." 
"  That  makes  it  worse ;  having  a  lady,  you  can't 
stay."  More  parleying  followed,  when  finally  a 
reluctant  consent  was  given  for  me  to  go  into  the 
house,  and  the  door  was  opened.  As  the  driver 
turned  the  ambulance  into  the  corral,  a  voice  called 


28  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

to  him  "  to  be  careful,  as  there  was  a  bit  of  a  bank 
near,"  which  in  the  morning  we  found  to  be  a  sheer 
descent  of  at  least  two  hundred  feet  to  the  river 
below,  and  we  had  gone  close  to  the  edge  in  the 
night,  never  dreaming  of  its  vicinity ! 

We  were  taken  into  a  small  room,  where  a  fire  of 
big  logs  burned  brightly.  By  the  light  of  it  I  stud- 
ied the  owner  of  the  voice  who  had  talked  in  the 
darkness  to  us.  It  was  a  superb-looking  old  man  I 
saw,  with  snow-white  beard  to  his  waist.  His  mild, 
benevolent  face  gave  me  confidence  at  once,  and  his 
manner  was  kind  and  gentle. 

There  were  several  awkward  girls  and  young  men 
in  the  room,  who  were  his  children,  he  told  us. 
Without  asking  permission,  the  old  man  mixed  me  a 
drink  of  whiskey  and  honey,  which  I  declined ;  but 
he  insisted  so  much  on  my  tasting  it,  I  did  so,  rather 
than  hurt  his  feelings.  One  of  the  girls  was  pre- 
paring supper  for  us,  of  which  we  were  much  in 
need,  and  when  ready  we  did  full  justice  to  it,  simple 
as  it  was, — corn-bread,  bacon,  and  coffee,  but  no 
butter  nor  milk. 

In  the  course  of  the  evening,  one  of  the  sons, 
recently  married,  came  in,  leading  his  bride  by  the 
hand.  Her  appearance  was  so  ludicrous  I  could 
not  repress  a  smile.  Her  frock  came  about  to  her 
knees,  and  below  it  appeared  pantalettes  to  her  heels. 
A  large  sun-bonnet,  entirely  concealing  her  face, 
completed  her  costume. 

When  time  came  to  retire,  we  found  we  were  to 
share  the  common  sleeping-room  of  the  family,  there 
being  no  other.  Indeed,  we  were  fortunate  to  have 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  29 

a  bed  to  ourselves!  Besides  the  one  given  to  us 
were  several  others,  which  were  filled  by  two  old 
men,  two  young  men,  two  girls,  and  two  boys, — ten 
people  in  one  small  room ;  only  three  were  women, 
of  whom  I  was  one ! 

There  was  no  sleep  for  me  that  night.  It  turned 
out  the  old  men  had  been  to  a  horse-race  the  day 
before,  and  they  were  going  over  it  in  their  dreams, 
shouting  and  swearing  incessantly.  My  faith  in  the 
patriarchal-looking  old  man  was  destroyed  as  I 
listened  to  his  loud  and  angry  voice  while  he  slept. 
I  lay  watching  for  the  dawn,  and  could  plainly  see 
the  stars  through  the  cracks  in  the  roof.  As  they 
disappeared  and  morning  broke,  we  got  up  and  made 
hasty  preparations  for  departure,  and,  after  paying 
for  our  night's  lodging,  we  left,  very  thankful  to 
escape  from  such  a  place. 

We  heard,  afterwards,  the  true  character  of  these 
people.  They  were  outlaws  of  the  worst  description ; 
but  while  we  were  under  their  roof  they  treated  us 
well. 

Shortly  before  we  stayed  at  their  house  one  of 
the  boys  accidentally  shot  and  killed  his  brother. 
Throwing  down  his  gun,  he  exclaimed,  "  I  have  the 
damnedest  luck  of  any  fellow  I  know !" 

We  were  happy  to  reach  Fort  Inge  and  home  the 
next  day,  and  made  no  more  expeditions  until  we 
left  for  Fort  Clark. 


3O  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


VI 

THE  officers  and  soldiers  stationed  at  Fort  Inge 
were  ordered  to  Fort  Clark  in  the  spring,  and  Inge 
was  abandoned  for  several  years. 

Fort  Clark  was  a  pleasant  post,  on  the  Las  Moras 
River,  within  a  day's  drive  of  our  old  station.  The 
change  was  very  agreeable  to  us  all,  the  garrison 
being  a  large  one,  with  a  number  of  officers  and 
ladies. 

A  funny  little  house  had  been  put  up  for  us  before 
we  arrived,  all  the  quarters  for  officers  being  occu- 
pied. The  walls  were  built  of  green  logs  with  the 
bark  left  on  them,  and  they  were  set  up  on  end, — 
not  like  the  usual  log-cabin.  The  Mexicans  call  a 
house  of  that  kind  a  "jacal"  (pronounced  hackal}. 
The  walls  were  seven  or  eight  feet  high,  and  sup- 
ported a  slanting  roof.  There  was  really  but  one 
room  in  the  house,  with  an  enormous  chimney, 
built  of  stone,  in  the  middle  of  it.  The  spaces  be- 
tween the  logs  were  chinked  with  mud,  or  plaster, 
perhaps,  but  that  was  all  the  plaster  there  was  about 
it.  We  had  no  ceiling, — nothing  but  the  shingles 
over  our  heads  through  the  long,  hot  summer.  On 
one  side  of  the  big  chimney  was  the  bedroom,  on 
the  other,  a  sitting-room.  We  had  a  porch  at  one 
end  of  the  house,  with  a  shelter  of  bushes  to  protect 
us  from  the  sun,  and  we  had  also  a  room,  some 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  3! 

distance  off,  for  a  kitchen,  where  Mike  set  up  his 
stove,  and  we  were  at  housekeeping  again.  The 
kitchen  floor  was  nothing  but  the  ground,  so  there 
was  no  scrubbing  to  be  done, — it  could  only  be 
sprinkled  and  swept. 

In  the  summer  Mike  left  us  to  work  for  the 
quartermaster.  No  one  could  be  found  to  take  his 
place  but  "  French  Josephine,"  a  poor  exchange,  but 
we  were  glad  to  have  any  one.  She  gave  us  very 
little  of  her  society  or  anything  else,  only  coming 
home  in  time  to  prepare  our  very  frugal  meals.  She 
knew  the  time  of  day  by  the  bugle-calls,  and  often 
asked  me,  "  Did  stable-call  went  yet  ?" 

Our  little  house  was  so  far  from  the  other  quarters, 
I  think  the  Indians  could  have  crept  in  upon  us, 
taken  our  scalps,  and  ridden  away,  without  being 
molested.  Nothing  troubled  us,  however,  but  the 
field-rats  and  mice,  which  were  there  in  numbers 
when  we  first  occupied  the  house.  They  came  into 
the  room  round  the  walls,  where  the  boards  of  the 
floor  were  scooped  out  to  fit  the  upright  logs  of 
which  the  house  was  built.  All  being  green  at  first, 
they  dried  during  the  intensely  hot  summer,  and 
very  soon  the  floor  and  walls  were  far  apart,  so  that 
the  rats  and  mice  came  and  went  without  ceremony. 
We  saw  a  rat  drag  a  small  bottle  of  sweet-oil  from 
one  side  of  the  room  all  the  way  across,  and  down 
under  the  floor  on  the  other  side. 

The  rats  and  mice  were  bad,  but  we  found  a 
tremendous  snake  on  the  mantel-piece,  and  that  was 
much  worse.  I  was  just  about  to  retire  one  night, 
when  we  heard  a  suspicious  rustling  among  some 


32  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

papers,  and  there  he  was,  moving  cautiously  among 
them;  how  it  ever  got  up  there  we  could  not 
imagine.  I  fled  out  of  doors,  while  husband  killed 
it  with  his  sabre.  Another  large  one  was  killed  in 
the  brush  at  the  end  of  the  porch.  Sometimes  a 
skunk  would  pass  the  house,  but  never  very  close. 
He  is  a  beautiful  little  animal  to  see ;  but  distance 
lends  enchantment  in  his  case. 

I  must  not  forget  to  tell  of  the  chicken-coop, 
built  by  the  "  lieutenant,"  at  a  great  outlay,  not  of 
money,  but  of  patience  and  temper.  The  material 
was  oak  barrel-staves,  hard  and  dry,  into  which  it 
was  almost  impossible  to  drive  a  nail.  The  builder 
started  to  work  in  the  morning  cheerfully,  and  anx- 
ious to  complete  the  job.  For  a  few  moments  the 
hammering  went  on  vigorously;  then  the  hatchet 
could  be  seen  flying  through  the  air  into  the  chap- 
arral. Much  time  was  spent  hunting  for  it,  but  it 
seemed  a  relief  to  the  wounded  feelings  (or  ringers) 
to  send  the  hatchet  spinning  into  space,  when  it  had 
come  in  contact  with  a  thumb  or  finger.  By  the 
time  the  coop  was  finished  there  was  not  a  sound 
one  on  either  hand. 

In  the  fall  our  first  daughter  was  born.  I  had  no 
one  to  take  care  of  her  and  me  but  husband  and  the 
doctor.  The  ladies  of  the  garrison  took  turns  dress- 
ing the  baby,  every  day,  as  I  could  not  trust  the 
French  girl  to  touch  her.  When  she  was  three  days 
old  there  was  a  violent  storm,  and  the  rain  poured 
into  the  house  through  the  crevices  between  the 
logs,  out  of  which  the  plaster  had  long  since  fallen. 
We  were  covered  over  with  blankets,  to  keep  us  dry, 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  33 

and  did  not  suffer  at  all ;  but  the  situation  was  not 
pleasant  for  the  mother  of  a  three-days'-old  baby. 
If  that  poor  child  had  known  of  how  many  comforts 
she  was  deprived  by  coming  into  the  world  on  the 
Western  frontier,  she  would  have  been  much  ag- 
grieved, and,  if  it  were  possible,  would  have  yelled 
louder  than  she  did.  My  own  experience  was  ex- 
tremely limited  regarding  the  needs  of  a  young  baby ; 
but  in  after-years  I  knew  the  poor  thing  had  been 
starved  and  half  frozen,  in  consequence  of  which  she 
cried  for  six  months,  and  hardly  slept  day  or  night, 
the  only  means  she  had  of  showing  she  was  badly 
treated. 

The  day  before  Christmas  we  left  Fort  Clark  for 
a  second  visit  to  San  Antonio  and  Austin.  The 
weather  was  like  summer,  and  the  evening  was  so 
warm  in  camp  we  were  glad  to  get  out  of  the  tent 
for  the  air.  By  morning  a  stiff  norther  was  blowing, 
and  water  in  a  bucket  in  the  tent  froze  to  the  bottom. 
It  was  bitter  cold,  and  we  were  so  anxious  about  the 
baby,  fearing  she  might  freeze  to  death.  Our  ambu- 
lance was  better  calculated  for  a  summer  ride  than 
a  journey  on  a  freezing  winter's  day.  Our  driver, 
Biles  by  name,  had  begun  very  early  in  the  morning 
to  celebrate  Christmas  by  taking  a  great  deal  more 
whiskey  than  was  good  for  him,  which  he  procured 
from  some  unknown  source.  As  it  was  a  warm  day 
when  we  left  Fort  Clark,  he,  soldier-like,  "  took  no 
thought  for  the  morrow,"  and  forgot  his  overcoat. 
We  found  out  as  soon  as  we  started  from  camp  that 
the  man  was  too  drunk  to  drive,  and  we  had  not  gone 
far  before  he  became  unconscious.  He  was  propped 


34  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

up  on  the  front  seat  beside  husband,  who  drove,  and 
who  occasionally  administered  a  sharp  crack  over 
his  head  with  the  whip,  to  rouse  him  and  keep  him 
from  freezing  to  death.  I  sat  behind,  with  the  baby 
on  my  lap,  completely  covered  with  blankets  to  pro- 
tect her  from  the  wind,  and  many  an  anxious  peep  I 
took  to  see  how  she  fared,  lest,  while  keeping  her 
warm  and  excluding  the  cold  air,  I  might  smother 
her. 

There  we  were,  travelling  over  the  prairie,  far  from 
any  settlement,  with  no  escort,  and  a  young  baby 
and  a  helplessly  drunken  soldier  to  be  cared  for.  It 
was  an  anxious  day  for  us,  and  we  were  much  re- 
lieved when,  late  in  the  afternoon,  we  could  see  the 
little  town  of  Dhanis  in  the  distance,  where  we 
would  find  a  fire  and  the  assistance  we  needed. 

A  new  house  of  entertainment  had  been  built  since 
our  last  visit.  We  were  given  a  large,  bare-looking, 
carpetless  room,  with  an  open  fireplace,  which,  from 
some  defect  in  the  chimney,  smoked  dreadfully,  and 
all  the  doors  and  windows  had  to  be  left  open  in 
consequence,  so  that  we  really  regretted  old  Finger's 
guest-chamber,  with  the  stone  floor  and  egg-shaped 
bed.  Biles  recovered  by  the  time  we  reached  the 
house,  and  when  the  blankets  were  removed  from 
the  baby  she  was  found  to  be  as  cheerful  as  possible, 
and  seemed  to  enjoy  the  numerous  volunteer  nurses 
who  came  to  my  relief.  One  especially  she  liked 
extremely, — a  girl  with  one  leg  shorter  than  the 
other,  who  held  her  in  her  arms  and  rose  on  the 
long  leg,  and  then  came  down  on  the  short  one,  all 
the  time  making  a  humming,  grunting  noise  in  her 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  35 

throat  that  seemed  to  charm  the  baby.  We  would 
have  liked  to  keep  her  as  nurse,  but  she  could  not 
leave  her  home. 

The  next  day  we  continued  our  travels,  which 
were  uneventful  to  the  end.  We  were  tired  when 
we  reached  Austin,  and  glad  to  rest,  and  we  re- 
mained some  time  with  our  kind  friends  at  their 
pleasant  home. 

When  we  returned  to  San  Antonio,  husband, 
much  to  our  delight  (or  my  delight,  at  least),  was 
ordered  to  remain  there  on  duty.  We  rented  a 
small  house,  or  rather  two  three-roomed  houses 
together,  where  we  lived  until  May.  There  were  no 
communicating  doors,  so  we  had  to  go  into  the  street 
to  reach  the  sitting-room  from  our  bedroom.  The 
kitchen  was  by  itself,  in  the  yard ;  but  these  incon- 
veniences were  mere  trifles.  When  we  left  Austin 
we  took  with  us  two  black  servants,  a  cook,  and  a 
sinall  girl  as  nurse,  who  announced  to  me  that  her 
name  was  "  Miss  Indiana  Maria  Jane  Walton ;"  but 
whether  she  adopted  the  name,  or  it  was  given  by 
her  sponsors,  I  do  not  know.  Her  resources  for 
amusement  were  wonderful,  and  she  talked  all  day 
to  the  baby,  who  seemed  to  understand  and  admire 
her  black  face  very  much.  She  tied  strings  to  the 
door-mat,  put  the  baby  on  it,  and  took  her  to  pay 
imaginary  visits,  the  mat  serving  as  a  carriage,  while 
Miss  Walton  herself,  with  long  shaving  curls  hanging 
from  her  ears,  was  horse  and  chaperon  at  the  same 
time,  looking  entirely  serious  and  very  important. 


36  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


VII 

IN  May  Lieutenant  Lane  was  ordered  to  proceed 
to  Fort  Mclntosh,  a  twelve  days'  journey  from  San 
Antonio  by  wagons.  It  is  now  made  in  less  than 
that  many  hours  by  the  cars.  We  knew  what  to 
expect  in  the  way  of  quarters,  etc.,  as  we  had  been 
there  a  few  days  when  travelling  from  the  coast  to 
Fort  Inge.  The  friends  whom  we  left  at  Mclntosh 
were  all  gone,  and  their  places  filled  by  strangers, 
but  they  received  us  kindly,  and  we  were  soon  quite 
at  home. 

The  heat  was  dreadful.  The  houses  were  mere 
shells,  entirely  exposed  to  the  baking  sun  all  day 
long.  Not  a  green  thing  was  to  be  seen  but  a  few 
ragged  mesquite-trees.  Here  and  there  a  blade  of 
grass  attempted  to  grow  in  the  scorching,  sandy 
soil,  but  it  was  soon  burned  up  by  the  hot  sun. 

Back  of  our  quarters  was  quite  a  large  yard,  but 
there  was  not  a  living  thing  in  it,  except  tarantulas, 
scorpions,  and  centipedes,  with  an  occasional  rattle- 
snake for  variety.  As  long  as  we  left  them  undis- 
turbed they  were  harmless.  I  found  a  large  tarantula 
by  the  house  one  day,  and  teased  it  with  a  stick. 
He  stood  up  immediately  on  his  great  hairy  hind 
legs  and  showed  fight,  when  I  left  him  to  amuse 
himself  with  the  piece  of  wood,  and  got  out  of  his 
way. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  37 

During  that  summer — 1856 — the  regiment  of 
Mounted  Rifles  was  ordered  to  New  Mexico,  and 
we  were  soon  on  the  move  again,  after  having  been 
about  two  months  at  Mclntosh.  We  left  July  16, 
to  join  the  troops  at  Fort  Clark,  from  which  point 
they  were  to  begin  a  march  of  nearly  one  thousand 
miles,  which  would  take  them  far  into  the  fall  to 
accomplish,  being  obliged  to  travel  slowly  to  save 
the  animals  as  much  as  possible  through  the  hot 
weather. 

We  arrived  at  Fort  Clark  on  the  22d  of  July,  and 
remained  until  the  2/th,  when,  everything  being 
ready,  we  left  with  one  of  the  three  columns  into 
which  the  regiment  was  divided,  and  which  were 
two  or  three  days'  travel  apart.  We  had  quite  a 
comfortable  "  outfit"  for  a  lieutenant  and  family, 
owning  a  pretty  little  ambulance  and  as  fine  a  pair 
of  large  gray  mules  as  one  would  wish  to  see.  They 
could  travel  all  day  without — in  sporting  parlance — 
"  turning  a  hair."  On  the  first  day  out  from  Clark 
they  fully  demonstrated  there  was  plenty  of  life  in 
them.  I  was  sitting  on  the  front  seat  of  the  carriage, 
holding  the  reins,  while  husband  was  on  the  back 
one  with  the  baby,  when  a  riderless  horse  came 
rushing  by.  Away  went  the  lively  grays  across  the 
prairie,  when  the  baby  was  quickly  deposited  on  my 
lap,  and  a  stronger  hand  than  mine  seized  the  reins 
and  brought  the  frisky  fellows  round  to  the  road, 
after  a  good  run  and  looking  none  the  worse  for  it. 

There  were  several  ladies  besides  myself  with  the 
command,  but  we  saw  very  little  of  each  other  those 
awful  hot  days.  We  broke  camp,  usually,  at  day- 

4 


38  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

light  every  morning,  and  tents  were  again  pitched  at 
noon,  when  we  had  little  desire  for  anything  but  to 
get  under  shelter  and  stay  there  until  the  sun  went 
down.  Then,  after  enjoying  the  cool  breeze,  which 
nearly  always  came  with  the  night  in  Texas,  we  were 
ready  to  retire.  How  well  I  remember  the  sweet 
evening  air,  laden,  as  it  often  was,  with  the  fragrance 
of  a  little  plant  that  covered  the  camp  ground,  and 
which  bore  a  tiny  yellow  flower.  As  the  wagons 
rolled  over  and  bruised  it,  the  air  was  filled  with  the 
delicious  odor,  which  was  the  same  as  the  lemon, 
verbena,  or  balm.  I  have  often  wondered  why  it  was 
not  utilized  for  making  perfumery;  perhaps  it  has 
been  by  this  time. 

Bedtime  came  early  in  camp.  By  ten  o'clock,  or 
'even  before,  lights  were  out,  and  nothing  could  be 
heard  but  the  tramp  of  the  sentinel,  the  rattle  of  the 
chains  by  which  the  mules  were  fastened  to  the 
wagons,  and  the  steady  munching  noise  made  by  the 
animals  while  chewing  their  corn.  Frequently  the 
coyotes  came  outside  the  camp  and  serenaded  us 
with  their  dreary,  melancholy  howls  and  barks,  but 
we  were  too  weary  to  be  disturbed  by  them.  All 
was  peaceful,  and  it  was  hard  to  believe  that  behind 
that  little  rise,  or  clump  of  grass,  Indians  could 
easily  watch  what  was  going  on,  and  be  ready  to  run 
off  any  stray  mule  or  horse  that  chanced  to  wander 
their  way. 

There  were  several  army  posts  along  our  route, 
and  to  arrive  at  one  was  a  pleasant  variety  in  the 
irksomeness  of  the  long  days.  Camp  Lancaster  was 
the  first  we  passed, —  August  2, —  and  was  the 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  39 

worst  station  I  had  seen  in  Texas,  but  the  ladies  I 
met  at  the  post  seemed  cheerful  and  contented.  We 
dined  with  Captain  and  Mrs.  R.  S.  Granger.  On  the 
1 2th  we  reached  Fort  Davis,  where  the  quarters  were 
bad,  but  the  surroundings  very  beautiful.  We  met 
with  much  kindness  and  hospitality  everywhere  we 
stopped,  receiving  presents  of  butter,  eggs,  milk,  etc. 
No  one  knows,  who  has  not  been  deprived  of  these 
necessities,  what  a  luxury  a  little  milk  or  a  pat  of 
butter  becomes  when  unobtainable,  which  was  usu- 
ally the  case  with  us  when  travelling.  Often,  in 
Texas,  when  we  tried  to  buy  milk  at  a  ranch,  where 
there  were  thousands  of  cattle,  there  was  not  a  drop 
to  be  had.  The  owners  would  not  take  the  trouble 
to  have  it  even  for  themselves.  So  you  can  under- 
stand how  we  enjoyed  the  numerous  dainties  sent  us 
by  friends  as  we  wandered  in  the  wilds  of  Texas. 

We  made  what  was  called  a  very  quick  journey  to 
Fort  Bliss,  from  Fort  Clark,  arriving  August  27, 
two  days  less  than  a  month  on  the  road.  Now,  one 
can  be  half  around  the  world  in  that  time,  and  we 
had  only  travelled  between  five  and  six  hundred 
miles.  Think  of  it! 

When  we  struck  some  Mexican  towns  on  the  Rio 
Grande,  below  Fort  Bliss,  we  were  delighted ;  it  was 
so  pleasant  to  see  again  green  trees  and  grass,  after 
having  had,  for  so  long,  nothing  but  the  Spanish 
bayonet  and  soap-weed  on  which  to  rest  our  weary 
eyes. 

I  was  constantly  on  the  lookout  for  Indians,  and  a 
number  of  bayonet-plants  together  had  given  me 
many  a  scare,  assuming  in  the  distance  almost  any 


4O  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

shape, — men  on  horseback  and  on  foot.  Some  of 
them  grow  very  tall,  and  the  leaves,  shaped  much 
like  a  bayonet,  stand  out  stiff  and  straight  from 
the  top  of  the  tree.  When  it  dies  the  spike-like 
leaves  turn  downward,  covering  the  stalk  to  the 
ground.  At  the  top  of  it  the  blossoms  appear,  first 
coming  up  in  a  solid  mass,  not  unlike  a  conical- 
shaped  cabbage-head.  As  it  grows  the  flowers 
come  out  in  rows  of  white  bells,  all  attached  to  a 
thick  stem,  which  is  frequently  eighteen  inches  high, 
perhaps  more.  The  pretty,  dainty  flowers  seem 
hardly  to  belong  to  the  stiff,  prim-looking  tree. 

After  having  been  deprived  as  long  as  we  were  of 
fruit  and  vegetables,  it  was  delightful  to  find  our- 
selves just  in  time  for  the  delicious  peaches  and 
grapes,  brought  fresh  from  old  Mexico,  over  the  Rio 
Grande,  every  day  to  Fort  Bliss.  I  spent  hours 
over  the  camp-fire,  in  the  broiling  sun,  preserving 
peaches  for  future  use.  I  never  enjoyed  anything 
more  in  my  life  than  those  twelve  days  in  our  pretty 
camp  on  the  Rio  Grande,  at  Fort  Bliss,  and  was  so 
sorry  when  the  orders  said  "  move  on."  We  laid  in 
what  fruit  we  could  carry,  chickens,  etc.,  for  the  rest 
of  the  march.  We  had  coops  for  the  chickens,  which 
were  tied  on  behind  the  wagons,  and  after  reaching 
camp  the  doors  were  opened  and  the  poor  things 
turned  out.  They  never  left  the  wagons,  but  went 
to  roost  on  them  at  night,  where  they  were  caught 
and  put  back  into  the  coops  for  an  early  start  next 
day. 

Fort  Fillmore,  on  the  Rio  Grande,  was  forty  miles 
from  Fort  Bliss,  and  in  New  Mexico.     Such  a  dreary- 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  41 

looking  place  I  have  seldom  seen;  but  there  were 
some  Mexican  settlements  only  a  few  miles  off,  which 
were  quite  accessible,  and  when  the  officers  and 
ladies  were  tired  of  home  they  could  go  to  see  their 
Mexican  neighbors.  We  stayed  there  part  of  a  day 
to  have  the  ambulance  repaired,  and  dined  with 
Lieutenant  and  Mrs.  John  D.  Wilkins. 

At  Fort  Thorn  we  found  some  of.  the  regiment  in 
quarters,  having  been  ordered  to  remain.  We  were 
delighted  it  was  not  to  be  our  station,  and  were  glad 
to  leave.  We  remained  in  camp  at  the  post  for  some 
time,  awaiting  orders.  Near  us  were  several  dragoon 
companies  ("  troops,"  nowadays)  in  camp,  and  among 
the  officers  we  found  some  old  friends,  "  Old  Billy 
Grier"  for  one,  whom  .everybody  in  the  army  knew 
and  liked. 

.  Our  next  move  was  towards  Fort  Craig.  We 
camped  one  night  on  ground  covered  with  grease- 
wood,  the  roots  of  which  are  quite  large  and  burn 
well,  though  too  rapidly  for  comfort ;  it  was  all  the 
fuel  we  had.  A  severe  storm  of  wind  and  rain  set 
in  that  night,  and  by  morning  it  was  so  cold  I  tried 
to  stay  in  bed  with  the  baby  to  keep  warm.  It  was 
decided  not  to  move  that  day,  hoping  by  the  next 
the  weather  would  be  clear.  The  baby  was  rather 
a  restless  young  person  to  be  shut  up  with  in  a  tent, 
on  a  cold,  rainy  day.  She  did  not  approve  at  all  of 
keeping  under  the  covers,  so  we  had  sheet-iron  pans 
filled  with  hot  coals  and  ashes  put  into  the  tent  to 
heat  it,  and,  rolling  up  in  shawls,  we  got  up  and 
were  quite  comfortable.  All  day,  and  the  night  fol- 
lowing, the  floods  came  down,  and  husband  con- 

4* 


42  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

eluded  to  move  camp  next  morning.  There  was 
still  no  sign  of  clearing  weather.  We  started  ahead 
of  the  wagon-train,  with  a  company  of  Mounted 
Rifles,  Lieutenant  Lane  having  been  in  command 
of  Captain  Thomas  Duncan's  company  since  leaving 
Fort  Mclntosh.  Captain  Duncan  was  on  leave. 

We  had  a  miserable  time  that  day ;  all  our  blankets 
and  shawls  in  the  ambulance  were  more  than  damp. 
When  we  came  late  in  the  evening  to  a  suitable 
camp-ground,  we  sat  in  the  ambulance  waiting  until 
we  were  exhausted  for  the  rattle  of  the  wagons ;  but 
no  such  sound  came  to  us,  at  least  not  from  our 
train. 

The  prospect  was  gloomy  enough ;  we  had  nothing 
to  eat  with  us,  and  the  soldiers  were  hungry  and  wet 
to  the  skin.  After  watching  and  hoping  against 
hope  that  the  wagons  would  certainly  come  after  a 
while,  a  man  rode  into  camp  with  the  information 
that  they  were  ten  miles  behind  and  up  to  the  hubs 
in  mudJ  Pleasant  prospect  for  such  a  night, — 
pouring  rain,  and  no  provisions !  We  were  in  a 
grove  of  cotton-wood-trees,  and  the  men  soon  started 
a  big  fire.  It  was  unnecessary  to  be  cold,  even  if 
wet  and  hungry.  Just  at  the  darkest  moment  a 
train  of  wagons  was  heard  approaching,  and  it  proved 
to  be  one  going  down  the  country  empty.  The 
wagon-master  was  able  to  supply  the  soldiers  with 
rations  for  a  meal,  and  we  gladly  accepted  some 
bread,  bacon,  and  coffee  from  their  store,  and  felt 
wonderfully  cheered  after  a  hot  supper.  They  fur- 
nished us  with  candles,  also. 

The  prospect  for  a  night's  rest  was  bad ;  though 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  43 

we  were  not  actually  out  in  the  rain.  The  ambulance 
was  too  small  to  lie  down  in,  so  we  sat  up  and  held 
the  baby  on  our  laps,  turn  about.  Suddenly  she 
gave  one  of  those  hoarse,  croupy  coughs,  terrifying 
with  the  most  comfortable  surroundings ;  but  it  was 
distracting,  situated  as  we  were,  with  every  wrap 
more  than  moist,  and  thirty  miles  from  a  doctor  or 
house  of  any  kind.  By  some  good  fortune  I  had  a 
few  simple  medicines  in  the  ambulance.  I  lost  no 
time  in  administering  them,  and  the  results  were 
very  gratifying.  The  night  passed  and  we  hailed 
the  morning  with  joy. 


44  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


VIII 

As  soon  as  it  was  daylight  we  decided  that  I  with 
the  baby  and  an  escort  must  go  on  to  Fort  Craig, 
thirty  miles  away,  to  see  the  doctor,  leaving  husband 
to  follow  later  with  the  company.  The  roads  were 
bad,  but  we  reached  Craig  early  in  the  afternoon. 

Several  officers  of  the  regiment  were  already 
stationed  at  the  post,  among  whom  were  Colonel 
George  B.  Crittenden  and  Colonel  Andrew  Porter, 
so  I  was  sure  of  meeting  friends.  But  it  never 
occurred  to  us  that  the  fifty-seven  consecutive  hours 
of  rain  that  had  fallen  might  have  inconvenienced 
the  people  at  the  fort,  as  well  as  ourselves.  All  we 
wanted  was  a  dry,  comfortable  room  for  the  baby. 
What  was  my  dismay  when  I  heard  that  the  dirt  roofs 
of  the  adobe  quarters  were  leaking  all  over !  Mrs. 
Porter  was  quite  ill,  and  the  water  was  pouring  into 
the  room  where  she  was  in  bed  under  a  tent-fly,  with 
an  umbrella  over  her  head!  Colonel  Crittenden's 
quarters  were  in  the  same  building,  and  the  rain 
streamed  through  the  ceiling  like  a  shower-bath ;  but 
it  was  all  he  had  to  offer,  and,  though  everything  was 
saturated  in  the  room  but  the  bed,  we  took  it.  The 
rain  ceased  towards  night  and  large  fires  were  built ; 
but  the  water  still  ran  in  from  the  roof.  I  trembled 
for  the  baby  when  I  saw  where  we  were  to  stay,  but 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  45 

under  the  doctor's  care  she  improved  at  once.  Pos- 
sibly living  so  long  in  tents  had  hardened  us,  and 
made  us  less  liable  to  take  cold;  we  were  young, 
too,  and  not  nervous. 

The  "  lieutenant,"  with  the  company,  reached  Craig 
late  the  day  I  arrived,  and  the  soldiers  went  into 
camp  just  outside  the  fort.  We  remained  in  the 
quarters  several  days,  taking  our  meals  with  Colonel 
and  Mrs.  Porter.  She  recovered  before  very  long 
from  her  illness,  and  found  plenty  to  do  to  restore 
order  in  her  drowned-out  apartments. 

The  ground  and  tents  having  soon  dried  in  the 
camp,  we  decided  to  leave  the  still  wet  walls  of  the 
adobe  quarters,  which  we  did,  and  were  pleased  with 
the  change,  being  much  more  comfortable. 

Whether  it  was  camping  on  the  Rio  Grande  or 
the  days  we  spent  in  the  wet  room  at  Craig,  I  do  not 
know,  but  I  succumbed,  while  in  camp,  to  an  attack 
of  chills  and  fever.  One  night,  I  remember,  husband 
had  to  bring  the  doctor  from  the  fort  to  see  me. 
During  his  absence  fever  came  on,  and  while  lying 
looking  up  at  the  tent  I  saw  a  centipede  five  or  six 
inches  long,  crawling  just  over  my  head.  I  watched 
it  so  intently  that  by  the  time  he  and  the  doctor 
came  the  thing  had  grown  as  large  as  an  elephant  to 
my  fevered  imagination,  and  I  could  only  point  to  it 
in  terror.  It  was  quickly  put  out  of  the  way. 

When  I  was  able  to  move  we  broke  camp  and  be- 
gan our  travels  toward  Santa  Fe,  arriving  October  9. 
Santa  Fe,  at  that  time,  had  but  a  small  American 
population  outside  of  army  officers  and  their  families. 
Mexicans  and  adobe  houses  were  everywhere,  and 


46  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

our  surroundings  could  hardly  have  been  more  novel 
had  we  been  dropped  into  Spain.  We  were  most 
delightfully  entertained  while  in  the  old  city  by  Cap- 
tain and  Mrs.  Nicholls.  She  was  a  daughter  of 
General  De  Russy,  U.  S.  Army. 

Our  station  was  to  be  Cantonment  Burgwin,  four 
days'  march  from  Santa  Fe,  over  a  frightful  road,  if 
it  could  be  called  "  a  road."  You  may  go  to  the 
foot  of  any  mountain  in  your  neighborhood,  start  up 
at  any  point  regardless  of  stones,  holes,  or  other 
impediments,  and  you  will  have  an  idea  of  "  the  road" 
to  Burgwin.  In  some  places  the  wagons  had  to  be 
let  down  with  ropes,  and  nothing  was  thought  of  a 
drop  of  two  or  three  feet,  from  one  rock  to  another. 
Consequently,  we  were  well  shaken  up  and  bruised 
and  battered  when  the  post  was  reached. 

The  scenery  was  magnificent,  but  we  could  not 
enjoy  it,  owing  to  the  roughness  of  the  road.  Did 
we  allow  our  eyes  to  wander  for  a  moment  to  the 
lofty  mountains  around  us,  we  were  forcibly  reminded 
of  the  rocks  and  pitfalls  in  our  path  by  a  jerk  or  a 
wrench  which  dispelled  our  dreams  and  brought  us 
rudely  back  to  the  immediate  surroundings.  We 
stayed  at  night  in  Mexican  houses,  using  our  own 
beds,  however.  Even  then,  as  soon  as  the  light  was 
out  we  were  nearly  devoured  by  bugs,  but  that  was  a 
trifle  compared  to  sleeping  in  a  tent  that  cold  weather. 

One  night  a  little  puppy  got  into  our  room,  and 
made  so  much  noise  husband  picked  him  up  to 
put  him  out  of  doors.  Puppy  disliked  this  treatment, 
for  he  seized  the  thumb  of  the  hand  that  held  him 
and  bit  it.  For  years  afterwards  the  skin  peeled  off 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  47 

the  end  of  that  thumb  about  the  same  month,  whether 
in  consequence  of  the  bite  I  do  not  know,  but  such 
was  the  case. 

On  the  fourth  day  from  Santa  Fe  we  arrived  at 
Burgwin,  a  very  small  post,  most  beautifully  situated, 
being  surrounded  by  high  mountains.  It  was  nine 
miles  from  Taos,  New  Mexico.  We  could  stand  at 
our  door  and  talk  to  our  opposite  neighbor  across 
the  parade-ground  without  raising  our  voices.  The 
quarters,  though  old  and  out  of  repair,  were  com- 
fortable ;  they  were  built  of  rough  pine  logs ;  an 
entry,  with  rooms  on  each  side. 

We  added  a  small  Mexican  girl  to  our  corps  of  by 
no  means  efficient  servants.  Our  efforts  at  conver- 
sation were  necessarily  strained,  I  not  speaking 
Spanish,  nor  she  English ;  but  we  soon  learned  to 
understand  each  other  with  many  gestures  and  a 
word  here  and  there.  It  was  her  business  to  amuse 
the  baby  and  wheel  the  little  wagon,  which  she  up- 
set occasionally ;  consequently  the  poor  child's  small 
turned-up  nose  seldom  had  any  skin  on  it  while  the 
seiiorita  was  nurse,  which  was  not  long.  Our  garri- 
son was  a  small  one, — Major  McCrea,  with  his  wife 
and  daughter,  Lieutenant  Alexander  McD.  McCook, 
Lieutenant  Alexander  McCrea,  and  ourselves  were 
all  the  officers  and  ladies  at  Burgwin,  except  a  con- 
tract doctor,  who  was  drunk  half  the  time,  and  not 
of  much  service.  Fortunately  it  was  a  healthy  place, 
and  he  had  little  to  do. 

Husband  had  occasion  to  go  to  him  for  advice  one 
morning,  after  suffering  all  night.  The  doctor  looked 
seriously  at  him  for  some  time,  then  said,  in  solemn 


48  /  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 

tones,  "  Lane,  the  best  thing  you  can  do  is  to  go 
home  and  to  bed,  until  you  are  sober !"  He  had  been 
on  a  spree  himself,  and  imagined  it  was  the  other  fellow. 

We  had  only  been  settled  in  our  quarters  a  few 
days  when  we  heard  of  the  arrival  at  Fort  Union, 
New  Mexico,  of  a  large  number  of  officers  and 
their  families,  who  had  just  crossed  the  Plains  from 
Fort  Leavenworth  with  recruits  for  the  various  regi- 
ments in  the  Territory.  Among  the  officers  was 
Captain  Washington  L.  Elliott,  who  had  recently 
married  my  sister,  who  was  with  him. 

Of  course  the  next  thing  to  be  done  was  for  hus- 
band to  go  to  Fort  Union  and  bring  her  to  Burgwin. 
She  might  hear  the  road  was  bad,  but  I  knew  she 
could  have  no  conception  of  what  it  was  like  until 
she  tried  it,  and  then  it  would  be  too  late  to  turn  back. 

While  I  was  alone  at  Burgwin,  after  husband  had 
left  for  Fort  Union,  I  had  rather  a  disagreeable  ex- 
perience. In  garrison  people  hardly  ever  lock  their 
doors,  and  even  when  they  want  to  they  find  the 
locks  broken  or  keys  lost.  I  could  fasten  my  bed- 
room door,  for  which  I  was  thankful.  I  do  not  be- 
lieve there  was  another  lock  in  the  house  in  order. 

One  night  I  was  awakened  by  a  knock  on  my 
door,  which  was  repeated.  I  asked  who  was  there. 
The  answer  was  a  request  that  "the  lady  would 
please  open  the  door"  and  show  a  man  the  way  out ; 
that  he  was  drunk,  had  come  in,  and  had  lost  him- 
self; that  he  would  do  the  lady  no  harm  if  she 
would  only  open  the  door  for  him.  Needless  to 
say,  the  lady  remained  in  her  fortress,  ordering  him 
to  leave  immediately,  or  she  would  call  the  guard, 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  49 

which  she  could  not  have  done,  as  the  guard-house 
was  some  distance  away.  After  stumbling  around 
in  the  entry  for  a  while,  he  left,  but  returned,  later  on, 
though  he  did  not  knock  again.  The  man  had  sense 
enough  to  know  he  had  been  in  an  officer's  house, 
but  whose  he  could  not  tell,  so  he  informed  the  sen- 
tinel. That  was  the  only  time  I  was  ever  molested 
by  a  soldier  in  all  my  army  experience.  I  had  always 
found  them  most  polite  and  respectful.  He  was  a 
good  man,  too,  but  had  taken  too  much  whiskey, 
which  was  not  his  habit. 

When  Captain  and  Mrs.  Elliott  arrived  it  was  de- 
cided that  "the  lieutenant"  should  exchange  from 
Captain  Duncan's  company  to  Captain  Elliott's, 
leave  Burgwin,  and  go  to  Hatch's  ranch  for  the 
winter,  and  it  was  done.  We  packed  up  again  and 
left,  after  a  stay  of  only  three  weeks  at  Burgwin. 

I  would  like  to  tell  of  some  of  Lieutenant  McCook's 
pranks  at  the  little  cantonment,  but  he  is  so  very 
sedate  now  I  would  be  afraid  to  do  it.  He  was 
always  happy  and  good-natured,  and  was  known  and 
liked  by  Mexicans  as  well  as  Americans.  Poor  Lieu- 
tenant McCrea  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Valverde, 
not  far  from  Fort  Craig,  New  Mexico,  in  the  late  war. 

On  the  4th  of  November  we  left,  taking  the  road 
to  Fort  Union,  which  was  as  bad  as  the  one  from 
Santa  Fe ;  it  could  not  be  worse.  We  were  obliged 
to  remain  one  day  at  Union,  I  being  quite  indisposed, 
from  exposure  on  the  mountains.  When  we  reached 
the  ranch,  on  the  Qth,  we  found  Captain  Elliott's 
company  of  Mounted  Rifles  already  in  quarters,  with 
Lieutenant  John  Edson  in  command, 
c  d  5 


SO  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


IX 

WHEN  we  saw  the  ranch  we  felt  somewhat  melan- 
choly at  the  prospect  of  spending  the  winter  in  such 
an  isolated  spot,  so  far  from  everywhere. 

It  stood  alone,  on  slightly  rising  ground, — a  long, 
low,  adobe  house,  with  a  high  wall  all  around  it, 
except  in  front.  Mr.  Hatch  and  his  wife  lived  in  one 
part  of  the  building,  and,  with  the  exception  of  our 
own  little  party,  were  the  only  white  people  to  be  seen. 

We  had  just  room  enough  to  be  comfortable;  but 
it  was  well  we  were  one  family,  for  we  were  very 
close  together,  and  to  have  had  strangers  in  the 
house  would  have  been  unbearable.  There  was  no 
doctor  nearer  than  seventy-five  or  eighty  miles,  so 
we  tried  to  keep  well.  A  Mexican  man  and  his 
wife  went  about  sometimes  to  officiate  in  particular 
cases.  I  had  the  luck  to  be  present  on  one  occasion. 
I  think  their  performances  would  have  made  the 
scientific  physicians  of  the  present  day  open  their 
eyes.  Lieutenant  Edson  went  on  leave  shortly  after 
our  arrival,  and  when  we  met  again  he  had  married 
lovely  Fannie  Clark. 

We  passed  a  veiy  quiet,  though  pleasant,  winter; 
but  we  were  by  no  means  sorry  when  the  company 
was  ordered  to  Fort  Union  in  the  spring.  The  post 
seemed  very  gay  to  us,  with  the  band  and  so  many 
people.  We  had  seen  no  one  but  each  other  for 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  5  I 

such  a  long  time,  we  were  quite  bewildered  with  all 
the  stir  and  bustle  about  us.  The  quarters  being 
large  enough  to  accommodate  us  all,  we  remained 
with  Captain  and  Mrs.  Elliott. 

In  July  I  decided  to  take  a  leave  and  go  East  with 
the  baby.  Colonel  Benjamin  Roberts  and  family, 
with  some  discharged  soldiers  as  escort,  were  taking 
advantage  of  an  empty  train  of  Mexican  wagons, 
leaving  New  Mexico  for  Kansas  City,  to  bring  back 
a  load  of  goods  for  all  parts  of  the  Territory.  I 
joined  the  party.  We  were  to  have  a  great  big  ten- 
mule  wagon  in  which  we  were  to  travel  and  sleep. 
Husband  had  a  spring-bottom  made  for  the  floor,  on 
which  a  mattress  was  laid,  and  we  lived  in  the  wagon 
about  four  weeks.  Colonel  Roberts  had  two  wagons 
for  his  family.  We  messed  with  them,  some  of  the 
discharged  soldiers  cooking  for  us. 

Husband  travelled  with  us  for  a  few  days,  to  see 
that  we  were  entirely  comfortable,  and  then  returned 
to  Fort  Union. 

The  wagon-train  was  in  charge  of  a  Mexican 
wagon-master,  and  he  alone  decided  where  we  were 
to  camp  and  when  to  travel.  It  seemed  to  make  no 
difference  to  him  where  he  halted,  nor  whether  wood 
and  water  were  convenient  or  not.  Sometimes,  late 
in  the  afternoon,  the  wagons  were  driven  off  the 
road,  corralled,  and  the  mules  sent  to  graze.  We  felt 
confident  then  we  would  stay  there  until  morning. 
Our  supper  would  be  cooked  and  eaten  with  good, 
healthy  appetites,  though  it  usually  consisted  only 
of  hot  biscuit,  fried  bacon,  coffee,  and  buffalo  meat 
or  other  game,  killed  by  the  teamsters. 


52  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

At  a  very  early  hour  we  were  quite  ready  for  bed, 
and  we  would  crawl  into  our  wagons,  have  the  covers 
well  secured,  and  hope  for  a  quiet  night.  Often  just 
as  I  had  fallen  into  a  good  sleep  I  was  roused  by  a 
stir  in  the  camp,  the  distant  sound  of  the  mules 
galloping  towards  the  wagons,  and  the  clatter  of  the 
bell  on  the  neck  of  the  herd-leader,  a  forlorn  old 
gray  mule  with  both  ears  cut  off  close  to  his  head. 
When  it  rained  the  bell  kept  up  a  constant  tinkle  as 
the  water  fell  into  the  holes  which  naturally  should 
have  been  covered,  and  annoyed  the  poor  creature 
very  much,  so  that  he  wagged  his  head  continually. 
I  believe  he  had  been  captured  from  the  Indians,  who 
probably  cut  off  his  ears  and  ate  them,  to  show 
how  they  loved  him.  The  more  agony  the  wretched 
beast  suffered,  the  more  his  tormentors  enjoyed  it, 
only  sorry  he  was  not  human. 

The  noise  made  by  the  mules  and  the  teamsters 
put  an  end  to  sleep.  How  they  ever  knew  one  mule 
from  another  in  the  darkness  was  a  mystery  to  me  ; 
but  they  seemed  to,  and  in  a  shorter  time  than  it 
takes  to  write  it,  each  driver  had  his  team  harnessed, 
hitched  to  the  wagon,  and  we  were  off  for  an  all- 
night  ride.  Possibly  by  eight  or  nine  o'clock  next 
morning  we  would  halt  long  enough  to  rest  the 
mules  and  get  breakfast,  then  start  again. 

I  never  slept  when  we  travelled  at  night;  the 
wagon  was  rough,  notwithstanding  the  spring  bottom. 
As  a  rule  the  road  was  fine ;  but  I  do  not  suppose 
the  tired  and  sleepy  driver  was  very  careful  to  keep 
in  it,  so  that  we  had  many  unnecessary  jolts. 

One   night  we  were   travelling   slowly,  when   it 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  53 

began  to  rain ;  I  was  wide  awake,  listening  to  the 
patter  of  the  drops  on  the  wagon-sheet.  I  felt  more 
than  usually  lonely  and  helpless,  for,  by  some  mis- 
take, there  was  a  wagon  between  mine  and  the  one 
occupied  by  Colonel  Roberts's  family ;  so  that,  if  I 
needed  assistance,  I  could  not  be  heard  by  them,  call 
as  loud  as  I  might.  Suddenly  I  was  conscious  that 
some  one  was  untying  the  cover,  which  was  always 
fastened  down  securely  after  I  got  into  the  wagon 
at  night.  Then  by  the  dim  light  I  could  make  out 
the  figure  of  a  man  creeping  in,  and  he  sat  down  just 
at  my  feet.  I  did  not  make  a  sound,  but  quietly 
reached  out  my  hand  to  a  basket  by  my  mattress, 
and  took  out  a  big  butcher-knife,  which  I  always 
kept  there, — not  for  defensive  purposes,  however. 
The  man  sat  perfectly  quiet ;  but  I  thought  he  might 
murder  us  for  the  little  we  had,  take  a  mule  from  the 
team,  and  escape.  I  certainly  would  have  used  my 
knife  had  he  molested  me,  and  I  never  took  my  eyes 
off  him  all  night.  When  day  dawned  the  man 
retired  as  noiselessly  as  he  came,  and  proved  to  be 
the  Mexican  who  drove  my  wagon.  I  lost  no  time 
in  telling  Colonel  Roberts  of  my  night's  alarm,  and 
another  teamster  was  sent  to  take  the  place  of  my 
too  friendly  driver,  who.  told  the  wagon-master  he 
only  wanted  to  get  out  of  the  rain.  The  mules  had 
taken  care  of  themselves  all  night,  following  the 
wagon  ahead  of  them. 

In  those  days  the  whole  country  was  covered  with 
immense  herds  of  buffalo;  there  were  thousands 
and  thousands  of  them ;  yes,  a  million.  They  never 
molested  the  trains  crossing  the  Plains,  though  some- 


54  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

times  a  great  drove  of  them  came  thundering  down 
to  the  road,  and  the  wagons  were  obliged  to  halt 
until  they  passed.  There  was  no  difficulty  in  killing 
one  when  fresh  meat  was  needed;  but  the  wary 
hunter  seldom  wandered  far  away,  as  there  were 
plenty  of  Indians  abroad  as  well  as  buffalo.  A  man 
strayed  off  one  day,  and  we  knew  nothing  of  him 
until  night,  when  he  came  into  camp,  naked.  Indians 
had  caught  him  while  hunting,  taken  all  his  clothes, 
even  his  shoes,  and  then  turned  him  adrift.  He 
kept  at  a  respectful  distance  from  the  wagons  until 
darkness  covered  him, — the  only  mantle  he  had, — 
and  then  came  into  camp.  He  did  not  care  much  for 
hunting  during  the  rest  of  his  travels. 

We  saw  a  man  shoot  a  buffalo  one  day,  and  as  the 
great  beast  fell  when  the  bullet  struck  him,  we  all 
thought  he  was  dead,  and  so  did  the  hunter,  until 
he  ran  up  close  to  him  to  cut  his  throat,  when  the 
creature  rose  up  and  made  a  spring,  which  scared  the 
man  dreadfully,  being  entirely  unexpected.  He  ran 
for  dear  life,  with  the  wounded  buffalo  in  hot  pursuit. 
Fortunately  there  was  a  saddled  horse  not  far  off, 
which  the  bold  hunter  succeeded  in  mounting,  and 
was  soon  far  away.  Like  a  predecessor,  "  he  never 
looked  behind  him."  The  hunts  were  very  exciting, 
and  usually  took  place  quite  near  the  wagons,  so  that 
we  could  see  all  that  went  on.  We  needed  some- 
thing to  vary  the  wearisome  march.  One  variation 
I  did  not  like  at  all,  and  that  was  the  vicinity  of  so 
many  Indians,  who  often  rode  close  beside  our  wagon 
staring  in  at  the  baby,  who  with  her  light  curly  hair 
and  blue  eyes  seemed  to  interest  them  amazingly.  I 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  55 

tried  to  keep  her  out  of  sight,  but  she  never  was  one 
easy  to  suppress,  and  kept  me  in  an  agony  by  evi- 
dently enjoying  the  admiration  she  excited.  They 
never  interfered  with  us,  however,  our  party  being 
too  large  for  them  to  feel  certain  of  victory  if  they 
made  the  fight.  I  was  truly  rejoiced  when  we  got 
away  from  their  haunts  and  hunting-grounds.  They 
roamed  the  plains  in  the  summer  season,  killing  the 
buffalo,  curing  meat,  and  dressing  the  hides  for  their 
winter  supplies. 

I  used  to  watch  the  Mexican  teamsters  drying 
buffalo  meat,  or  "jerking"  it,  with  much  interest  It 
was  cut  into  thin,  narrow  strips,  and  hung  up  in  the 
sun  on  ropes  stretched  across  the  camp  from  wagon 
to  wagon.  When  we  were  ready  to  leave  the  meat 
was  taken  down,  packed  in  "  gunny-sacks,"  and 
tramped  and  stamped  upon  to  make  it  less  bulky. 
Then  it  was  stowed  away  in  the  wagons  and  taken 
out  and  sunned  at  every  camp.  No  salt  is  used  in 
jerking  the  meat,  and  to  me  it  is  horrible;  but  I  sup- 
pose if  brought  to  the  verge  of  starvation  I  might 
be  able  to  relish  it — hardly  otherwise. 

We  travelled  rapidly  from  Fort  Union  to  Kansas 
City,  making  the  distance  of  six  hundred  miles  in 
twenty-four  days.  We  stopped  at  the  principal  hotel 
in  the  town,  being  driven  to  it  in  our  ten-mule  wagons. 
What  a  sensation  we  would  make  now,  by  arriving 
in  that  style !  Then  no  one  gave  us  a  second  look. 
Such  sights  were  of  daily  occurrence.  Before  rail- 
roads were  built  trains  of  wagons  were  always  to  be 
seen  going  to  and  coming  from  the  Territories. 


5  6  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


X 

THE  journey  from  Kansas  City  to  St.  Louis,  and 
from  there  to  Carlisle,  Pa.,  took  a  good  deal  of  time. 
We  travelled  from  St.  Louis  alone,  but  many  a  kind 
hand  was  stretched  out  to  help  us  when  we  needed 
assistance. 

How  delightful  it  was  to  be  at  home  once  more ! 
Of  course  the  first  grandchild  was  an  important  per- 
son, and  came  in  for  a  large  share  of  attention  and 
admiration,  which  she  received  with  all  the  coolness 
and  matter-of-course  air  of  one  who  had  seen  much 
of  the  world  and  was  accustomed  to  it.  I  had  been 
gone  nearly  three  years,  and  many  changes  had  taken 
place  in  that  time, — marriages,  births,  and  deaths 
among  my  relatives. 

I  had  been  so  long  deprived  of  everything  but  the 
bare  necessaries  of  life,  it  seemed  to  me  my  friends 
lived  luxuriously,  and  I  enjoyed  my  visit  to  the  fullest 
extent. 

The  greatest  drawback  to  my  happiness,  while  at 
home,  was  the  time  required  for  letters  to  come  from 
and  go  to  New  Mexico, — a  whole  month  between 
mails,  which  were  carried  on  a  stage,  running  between 
Independence,  Missouri,  and  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico. 
The  mail  stations  on  the  plains  were  few  and  far 
apart,  where  there  were  only  enough  hardy,  deter- 
mined men  to  look  after  the  mules  required  for  the 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  57 

stage.  These  stations  were  almost  fortresses  on  a 
small  scale,  built  of  stone,  with  a  high  wall  around 
them  to  protect  the  stock  from  Indians.  The  stage- 
drivers  were  experienced  frontiersmen,  who  knew 
well  the  risks  they  ran,  and  those  who  travelled  with 
them  have  told  me  there  was  no  time  lost  between 
stations,  going  at  a  full  gallop  most  of  the  way. 
Often  wild  and  unbroken  animals  were  harnessed  to 
the  stage,  and  at  the  first  crack  of  the  whip  they 
were  off  with  a  bound,  and  kept  at  a  run  or  gallop, 
never  slowing  up  until  the  house  was  in  sight. 

I  remained  at  home  almost  a  year.  In  the  mean 
time,  Captain  Elliott's  company  had  been  moved  to 
Fort  Stanton,  New  Mexico,  and  husband  had  gone 
with  it.  At  the  end  of  my  leave,  as  several  officers 
and  their  families  were  going  to  Fort  Leavenworth 
from  Carlisle  Barracks,  we  joined  them.  From  Fort 
Leavenworth  we  were  to  cross  the  Plains  with  a 
large  number  of  officers  and  recruits  for  the  regi- 
ments in  New  Mexico,  and  were  to  travel  with 
Colonel  Charles  Ruff  and  family,  who  were  to  be  of 
the  party,  camping  near  and  messing  with  them. 
We  had  our  own  ambulance  and  tent,  and  were 
quite  independent.  I  had  taken  a  young  black 
child  from  home  as  a  playmate  for  our  little  girl,  and 
she  was  in  a  constant  state  of  excitement  at  the 
novelty  of  her  situation,  causing  much  amusement 
by  her  comments  on  matters  in  general. 

Colonel  Ruff  remained  at  Leavenworth  a  day  after 
the  command  left;  but  as  Lieutenant  Edson  and 
wife  were  among  those  starting  out,  we  went  with 
them.  At  the  first  camp  there  was  always  a  good 


58  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

deal  of  confusion,  as  things  were  put  into  the  wagons 
helter-skelter,  and  some  time  was  required  to  find 
tents,  pins,  ropes,  axes,  etc.,  and  the  recruits  were 
rather  new  at  the  business  of  pitching  tents.  All 
was  ready  at  last,  beds  were  made,  and  everything 
comfortable  for  the  night,  when  one  of  those  awful 
Kansas  storms  burst  upon  us  almost  without  warn- 
ing. The  wind  (now  called  a  cyclone)  was  terrific, 
and  the  lightning  and  thunder  a  fit  accompaniment 
to  such  a  gale.  Many  of  the  tents,  not  being  pitched 
to  withstand  as  fierce  a  battle,  went  down  all  over 
over  the  camp.  Ours  rocked  and  shook,  and  the 
roar  of  the  thunder  and  the  rain  beating  on  the 
canvas  was  deafening. 

Lieutenant  Edson,  seeing  my  tent  was  not  secure, 
came,  in  the  midst  of  the  downpour,  and  took  us  to 
his,  which  was  better  pitched,  and  we  were  hardly 
out  of  ours  before  it  collapsed.  With  my  party, 
added  to  Mrs.  Edson  and  servant,  theirs  was  full, 
and  Lieutenant  Edson  went  elsewhere  for  shelter. 
The  storm  raged  on ;  by  degrees  the  tent-cords 
loosened,  the  walls  were  blown  in  and  out  with  the 
wind,  and  we  expected  every  moment  to  see  it  share 
the  fate  of  many  others,  but  the  few  pins  left  and  the 
guy-ropes  held  it  up.  The  water  rushed  in  a  torrent 
through  the  tent,  and  the  only  way  to  keep  out  of  it 
was  to  sit  on  the  bed,  which  we  did  until  morning. 
An  old  sow,  with  her  large  family,  tried  to  take 
shelter  under  the  canvas  wall  also,  and  it  was  ex- 
tremely difficult  to  keep  her  out :  she  did  not  like 
the  warring  elements  for  her  babies  any  more  than 
we  did. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  59 

The  camp  was  a  dismal  sight  next  day, — every- 
thing and  everybody  were  soaking  wet  and  felt  as 
dreary  as  they  looked.  Bedding  and  clothing  were 
spread  in  every  available  spot  to  dry,  and  the  tents 
re-pitched,  as  we  could  not  well  move  in  such  a 
plight  to  another  camp.  All  had  a  tale  to  tell  of 
the  awful  night.  One  tent  blew  down  in  which  was 
a  child  asleep  on  a  cot.  The  wind  gathered  them  up, 
but  the  child  was  seen,  fortunately,  and  dragged  off 
by  some  one  as  the  bed  went  sailing  over  a  fence. 
The  flagstaff  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  seven  miles  away, 
was  struck  by  lightning  the  same  night. 

We  took  up  our  line  of  march  next  day,  although 
our  belongings  were  still  in  a  wet  and  forlorn  condi- 
tion. The  storms  followed  us,  and  I  never  beheld 
such  lightning  nor  heard  such  thunder.  When  I 
saw  one  coming  we  went  into  the  tent  and  had  it 
well  pinned  down  and  the  opening  closed  securely. 
Through  all  its  fury  I  had  to  look  as  if  I  liked  it, 
not  daring  to  show  fear  before  the  children,  and  I  am 
sure  I  must  have  been  fairly  green  with  fright  some- 
times. But  we  played,  told  stories,  and  sang  songs, 
the  howling  wind  and  crashing  thunder  joining  in 
the  chorus,  and  by  controlling  myself  before  the 
children  I  lost  much  of  my  own  terror.  But  I 
must  say  I  was  delighted  to  get  out  of  the  storm 
region. 

We  passed  through  several  villages  of  half-civilized 
Indians  in  Kansas,  and  the  sight  of  them  filled  Kit, 
the  black  child,  with  horror.  A  man  came  and  stood 
by  the  tent  one  day,  watching  her  attentively;  he 
seemed  to  be  trying  to  work  out  an  idea.  At  last  his 


60  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

curiosity  got  the  better  of  him  and  I  found  out  what 
the  trouble  was.  He  said  to  me,  looking  at  Kit, 
"  Dat  you  pappoose  ?"  Before  I  could  answer,  she 
spoke,  from  her  safe  place  behind  the  bed,  "  No,  sir ; 
I  am  Mr.  Hawkins's  girl,  of  Carlisle,"  which  informa- 
tion was  received  with  a  grunt ;  he  could  not  under- 
stand a  white  squaw  having  a  black  pappoose,  and 
wanted  to  be  certain  about  it. 

The  rivers  in  Kansas  were  deep,  and  hard  to  ford. 
No  one  knew  just  where  the  proper  crossings  were 
to  be  found,  and  much  time  was  lost  looking  for 
them.  There  did  not  seem  to  be  any  one  with  the 
command  whose  business  it  was  to  find  out  about 
such  matters,  and  we  had  to  get  information  from  any 
one  whom  we  happened  to  meet  on  the  road.  Being 
impatient  to  go  on,  I  may  have  imagined  there  was 
mismanagement.  However,  this  much  I  know,  that 
frequently,  when  hunting  a  ford,  the  command  was 
directed  to  a  certain  point ;  when  it  was  reached  there 
was  not  a  place  where. we  could  cross,  and  we  had 
to  retrace  our  steps,  going  possibly  just  as  far  the 
other  way,  to  find'  the  stream  over  the  tops  of  the 
wagons.  Delay  seemed  to  be  the  order  of  the  day. 
One  morning,  after  everything  was  ready  for  the  usual 
early  start,  breakfast  over,  tents  down,  and  wagons 
loaded,  the  news  was  brought  in  that  every  mule 
belonging  to  the  wagon-train  had  gone,  and  not  a 
man  knew  how  nor  when  they  left.  Of  course  some 
one  was  to  blame  for  gross  negligence ;  but  that  did 
not  help  matters  in  the  least. 

Nothing  could  be  done  but  unpack  the  wagons, 
re-pitch  tents,  and  remain  on  Cow  Creek  until  some- 


I  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  6 1 

thing  was  found  to  haul  us  away.  Parties  were  sent 
to  look  for  the  mules,  but  to  this  day  nothing  has 
been  heard  of  them, — a  remarkable  truth. 

For  a  week  we  remained  in  camp  waiting  for  trans- 
portation, when  at  the  end  of  that  time  some  one  saw, 
as  did  "  Sister  Anne"  in  the  story  of  Blue  Beard,  a 
little  cloud  of  dust  in  the  west.  It  proved  to  be  from 
an  empty  ox-train  which  was  coming  to  the  States, 
and  it  meant  relief  for  us.  The  oxen  were  put  to  our 
wagons,  their  heads  turned  towards  New  Mexico,  and 
we  were  again  on  the  road. 

Fortunately,  none  of  the  ambulance  mules  had 
departed  when  those  belonging  to  the  train  left  it  so 
mysteriously. 

As  we  could  travel  only  short  distances  with  the 
oxen  every  day,  the  time  seemed  long  and  exceed- 
ingly tedious.  Two  months  passed  before  we  reached 
Fort  Union,  a  journey  of  six  hundred  miles.  There 
I  heard  of  a  campaign  against  the  Navajo  Indians, 
and  that  husband  had  gone  with  Captain  Elliott  and 
company  from  Fort  Stanton,  to  join  other  troops  sent 
out  to  Fort  Defiance,  in  the  Navajo  country.  This 
was  indeed  bad  news  for  me,  as  I  had  expected  to  find 
him  waiting  for  us  at  Fort  Union,  instead  of  which 
he  had  gone  to  fight  Indians,  and  might  be  away  all 
winter.  There  was  nothing  for  me  to  do  but  to  make 
my  way  to  my  sister,  Mrs.  Elliott,  at  Fort  Stanton, 
which  was  a  great  way  off,  and  not  an  easy  place  to 
reach.  Besides,  I  could  not  always  get  an  escort  from 
post  to  post,  so  that  I  made  slow  progress. 

We  remained  some  days  at  Fort  Union  with  Cap- 
tain and  Mrs.  Shoemaker,  who  were  always  glad  of 

6 


62  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

an  opportunity  to  take  the  weary  traveller  under  their 
most  hospitable  roof  and  care  for  him. 

From  Fort  Union  we  went  to  Santa  Fe,  in  October, 
rested  a  few  days,  and  then  left  for  Albuquerque, 
where  we  arrived  after  three  days'  travel,  and  were 
the  guests  of  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Ruff,  who  had  just 
gone  to  housekeeping  in  the  old  Mexican  town,  after 
having  recently  crossed  the  Plains.  Colonel  Ruff  and 
Major  Rucker,  with  their  families,  occupied  a  large 
adobe  building ;  each  had  a  part  of  it,  entirely  inde- 
pendent of  the  other.  At  that  time  Irene  Rucker  was 
a  little  child  playing  about  in  her  blue  check  aprons, 
little  dreaming  she  was  destined  to  be  the  wife  of  the 
gallant  General  Sheridan. 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  63 


XI 

ON  the  first  of  November  Colonel  I.  V.  D.  Reeve 
left  Albuquerque  for  Fort  Stanton,  and  we  gladly 
accepted  his  escort.  We  had  been  travelling  since 
the  beginning  of  July,  and  I  was  tired  and  wanted 
to  settle  down.  Six  days  were  required  to  make  the 
distance  between  the  two  points,  with  a  house  to  stay 
in  two  or  three  nights  out  of  the  five  or  six.  The 
weather  was  cold,  and  I  much  preferred  to  stay  in  a 
house  where  there  was  fire  than  in  a  tent  with 
none. 

One  night,  when  in  camp,  it  rained  hard,  then 
snowed.  The  tents  froze  stiff,  and  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty they  could  be  made  small  enough  to  be  packed 
in  the  wagon  next  morning.  We  had  a  bitter  cold 
ride  all  that  day,  and  when  we  camped,  at  night,  it 
was  in  the  frozen  tents  on  top  of  ice  and  snow,  which 
had  to  be  cut  away  to  make  a  place  for  the  mattress. 
Minnie  and  Kit  did  not  seem  at  all  disturbed  at 
going  to  bed  on  top  of  the  snow.  We  slept  in  all 
of  our  clothes,  rolling  our  heads  in  shawls ;  but  it 
was  so  cold  and  uncomfortable  we  were  glad  there 
was  but  one  night  of  it. 

It  was  with  grateful  hearts  we  reached  the  cosey 
quarters  at  Fort  Stanton  at  last,  and  were  soon  en- 
tirely at  home  at  my  sister's  house,  where  we  re- 


64  /  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 

mained  until  the  husbands  returned  from  the  Navajo 
war,  when  we  occupied  our  own  quarters. 

Fort  Stanton  was  a  beautiful  post,  with  the  best 
quarters  in  the  army  at  that  time,  but  it  was  like 
being  buried  alive  to  stay  there.  Nothing  ever 
passed  that  way,  and  it  was  seldom  a  stranger  came 
among  us.  There  was  but  one  mail  a  month,  and 
on  the  day  it  was  expected  we  dropped  all  work  and 
fixed  our  eyes  on  a  certain  hill,  round  which  the  man 
with  the  mail,  carried  on  a  mule,  was  bound  to  ap- 
pear, after  a  while,  if  the  Indians  had  not  caught 
him.  Whoever  first  spied  him  spread  the  news  that 
the  mail  was  coming.  Then  all  was  excitement  until 
the  post-office  was  opened  and  each  had  his  own 
letters  and  papers  in  his  hands.  Although  the 
papers  were  old,  we  enjoyed  their  contents  as  much 
as  we  do  our  "  daily"  of  to-day. 

An  officer's  wife  told  me  she  gave  her  husband 
only  one  paper  at  a  time,  and  laid  it  by  his  plate,  on 
the  breakfast-table,  every  morning,  as  long  as  they 
lasted,  hoping  he  would  try  to  imagine  he  was  read- 
ing "  news."  We  wanted  ours  all  at  once,  even  if  we 
did  have  to  wait  a  month  for  a  fresh  supply. 

We  were  fortunate  in  having  a  pleasant  garrison 
at  Fort  Stanton,  and  our  relations  with  the  officers 
and  their  wives  were  most  sociable  and  friendly. 
There  were  no  formal  visits  then,  nor  did  we  have 
occasion  to  dress  up  to  call  on  our  neighbors.  To 
show  you  of  how  little  use  a  bonnet  was  to  any  of 
us,  sweet  little  Mrs.  Lawrence  Baker  had  forgotten 
hers  entirely,  until,  one  day,  when  looking  over  her 
possessions,  she  found  it  occupied  by  a  hen,  setting 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  65 

on  a  number  of  eggs.  The  style  of  bonnet  at  that 
time  made  a  very  comfortable  nest,  quite  different 
from  those  of  to-day. 

My  sistei?  had  a  piano,  which  was  an  unbounded 
source  of  pleasure  to  us.  With  Colonel  Reeve's 
assistance  we  made  quite  good  music;  at  least  our 
friends,  who,  possibly,  were  not  too  critical,  said  so. 
Kind,  good  Colonel  Reeve,  always  anxious  and  ready 
to  be  of  service  when  we  needed  it.  (He  died  Jan- 
uary, 1891,  in  New  York.) 

The  Muscalero  Apaches  were  in  camp  that  winter 
near  the  post,  and  came  and  went  as  they  pleased, 
walking  into  our  houses  and  sitting  on  our  porches 
without  the  least  hesitation.  I  found  a  young  fellow 
in  front  of  our  quarters  with  a  child's  colored  picture- 
book  in  his  hands,  chuckling  and  muttering  with 
great  delight.  Coming  closer,  I  saw  he  was  holding 
it  upside  down,  and  turned  it  for  him.  He  was  much 
pleased  and  surprised  when  he  was  able  to  under- 
stand the  pictures,  and  laughed  and  talked  quietly  to 
himself.  I  do  not  suppose  he  had  ever  seen  a  book 
before. 

I  never  could  become  accustomed  to  the  Indians 
staring  at  me  through  the  window  when  I  was 
sewing  or  reading.  Often  while  sitting  beside  it  a 
shadow  would  come  between  me  and  the  light,  and 
on  looking  up  I  would  find  two  or  three  hideous 
creatures,  with  noses  painted  every  color  flattened 
against  the  glass.  I  would  move  away  at  once,  out 
of  range  of  their  wondering  eyes.  I  could  not  en- 
dure to  be  watched  so  curiously.  Sometimes  a  slight 
noise  made  me  turn  round,  and  there  would  be  one 
f  6* 


66  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

or  two  Indians  standing  in  my  room.  I  did  not  use 
much  ceremony  in  putting  them  out  and  locking  the 
door  behind  them.  They  delighted  in  going  to  the 
hospital  to  get  a  dose  of  medicine  from  the  doctor ; 
and  no  matter  what  kind  of  stuff  he  mixed  them,  they 
took  it  with  apparent  enjoyment.  I  do  not  know 
that  a  dose  of  medicine,  taken  when  there  was  no 
necessity  for  it,  was  worse  than  (or  as  bad  as)  eating  a 
mule  with  a  sore  back,  that  had  died  in  the  corral. 
They  cut  him  in  pieces,  carried  the  meat  to  their 
camp,  and  ate  it  all  up,  everything  but  bones  and 
hoofs.  A  dead  mule  is  not  to  be  despised  when  one 
is  starving. 

My  sister  and  I  found  an  Indian  woman  sitting  on 
the  ground  by  our  house,  one  cold  winter's  day, 
and  leaning  against  her  was  a  board,  on  which  was 
strapped  a  new-born  baby,  which  we  learned  after- 
wards was  about  two  hours  old !  The  woman  inti- 
mated she  was  hungry  and  we  gave  her  food,  when 
she  picked  up  her  baby  and  walked  three  miles  to 
camp.  Before  we  saw  her,  she  and  her  baby  had 
taken  a  swim  in  the  little  river  that  flowed  close  by ; 
the  water  was  frozen  hard,  and  she  broke  the  ice  to 
make  a  place  large  enough  for  her  purpose.  I  do 
not  know  whether  all  new-born  Apache  babies  were 
treated  to  an  ice-cold  bath ;  it  must  have  been  dis- 
agreeable. 

While  at  Stanton  we  saw  the  yearly  distribution 
of  presents  to  the  Apaches.  The  men  and  women 
sat  or  lay  on  the  ground  in  a  circle,  inside  of  which 
stood  some  of  the  officers  and  ladies  of  the  post,  to 
witness  this  rather  novel  sight,  to  many  of  us  at 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  6? 

least.  I  had  only  been  there  a  little  while  until  I 
wished  myself  anywhere  else.  As  each  article  was 
handed  round,  the  Indians  became  more  and  more 
excited ;  and  when  the  butcher-knives  were  brought 
out,  deep  guttural  sounds  from  the  men  and  screams 
of  delight  from  the  women  were  heard  on  all  sides. 
I  felt  as  if  we  were  going  to  be  scalped,  and  I  am 
sure  the  recipients  of  these  treasures  would  not  have 
been  at  all  averse  to  trying  them,  bright,  new,  and 
sharp,  on  us,  if  it  could  have  been  done  with  safety 
to  themselves.  I  never  wanted  to  see  another  dis- 
tribution of  presents  to  Indians,  nor  to  be  in 
the  vicinity  when  hatchets  and  knives  were  passed 
around. 

In  May  orders  were  received  for  Captain  Elliott's 
company  to  take  station  at  Fort  Bliss,  Texas,  and  we 
were  charmed  at  the  prospect  of  going  where  we 
would  see  more  people  and  have  a  good  market. 
There  was  never  anything  to  buy  at  Fort  Stanton 
but  an  occasional  piece  of  venison,  or  a  wild  turkey, 
from  a  Mexican  or  Indian.  The  game  was  very 
good  of  its  kind,  but  we  wanted  a  wider  range,  which 
we  were  sure  to  have  at  Fort  Bliss. 

By  the  igth  of  May  we  were  packed  and  ready  to 
leave  Stanton.  Our  only  regret  was  parting  with 
our  friends.  We  travelled  over  some  beautiful  coun- 
try, camping  every  night.  The  weather  was  good, 
though  extremely  hot  in  the  middle  of  the  day.  We 
passed  several  mounds  of  pure  white,  silver  sand,  on 
the  road,  which  in  the  distance  looked  like  snow ; 
their  presence  in  such  a  place  was  curious,  and  has 
never  been  explained  to  me. 


68  /  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 

May  25  found  us  at  the  most  delightful  station  we 
ever  had, — Fort  Bliss, — the  old  and  first  Fort  Bliss, 
far  more  pleasant  than  those  of  the  same  name  which 
have  succeeded  it,  though  the  present  post  is  more 
pretentious  in  every  way,  having  two  railroads  run- 
ning across  the  parade-ground. 

Our  quarters  of  three  rooms  were  of  adobe,  with 
thatched  roof  and  dirt  floors ;  it  sounds  worse  than 
it  was,  for  the  floor  was  as  hard  as  stone,  almost ;  and 
with  canvas  nailed  down  first,  and  a  carpet  over  that, 
we  were  well  fixed.  Some  of  the  other  quarters  were 
more  roomy  and  pleasant  than  ours ;  but  we  did  not 
require  anything  better,  and,  as  we  still  messed 
with  Captain  and  Mrs.  Elliott,  they  answered  very 
well. 

The  garrison  at  Fort  Bliss  was  very  small,  but 
there  were  some  very  pleasant  people  (citizens)  living 
at  and  not  very  far  from  the  post.  There  was  a 
good  deal  of  social  visiting  among  us  all,  and  an 
occasional  formal  entertainment,  to  which  everybody 
was  invited. 

Colonel  Magofrm,  the  sutler,  had  a  large  house, 
and  several  pretty,  well-educated  daughters.  Mrs. 
Magorfin  was  a  Spanish  woman,  from  whom  the 
daughters  inherited  much  grace  and  beauty.  Of 
course  they  were  great  belles,  and  their  home  was 
very  attractive. 

At  that  time  Fort  Bliss  was  built  on  three  sides  of 
a  square ;  a  road  in  front  of  the  quarters  separated 
them  from  the  parade-ground,  which  was  enclosed 
by  an  adobe  wall.  There  were  some  tall  cottonwood- 
trees  on  the  parade,  which  was  covered  by  a  luxu- 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  69 

riant  growth  of  alfalfa,  or  Mexican  clover.  Perhaps 
there  was  a  flag-staff,  too,  but  I  forget. 

Almost  at  our  doors  flowed  the  red,  muddy  waters 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  which  were  ever  encroaching  on 
the  banks  and  endangering  those  quarters  that  were 
near. 

Three  miles  away  was  the  little  town  of  Franklin, 
— now  El  Paso, — where  we  made  frequent  visits  to 
buy  our  marketing  and  lay  in  supplies  of  delicious 
fresh  fruits,  furnished  by  the  Mexicans,  who  inter- 
ested us  very  much.  Besides  the  market  were  several 
stores,  where  everything  imaginable  was  sold,  not 
always  just  what  we  wanted,  however;  but  we  fre- 
quently had  to  take  what  we  could  get.  Once,  when 
passing  through  that  region,  my  shoes  gave  out 
entirely,  and  I  was  obliged  to  have  some  at  once. 
The  only  thing  I  could  find  that  fitted  me  at  all  was 
a  pair  of  light  blue  kid  slippers,  not  exactly  suitable 
for  travelling  and  camping,  but  all  that  were  to  be 
had. 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 


XII 

BY  crossing  the  Rio  Grande  we  were  in  a  foreign 
country, — Mexico, — where  everything  was  so  quaint 
and  strange  we  could  scarcely  believe  only  a  narrow 
river  separated  us  from  our  homes. 

We  went  over  once  to  visit  the  old  cathedral, 
where  the  most  striking  things  we  saw  were  some 
ghastly  wax  figures,  large  as  life,  and  very  precious 
in  the  sight  of  the  numerous  worshippers.  On  a 
table  in  the  centre  of  the  church  was  laid  what  we 
supposed  was  another  wax  image ;  but  on  closer 
inspection  we  found  it  was  a  poor  little  dead  baby, 
gayly  dressed,  and  awaiting  burial.  No  one  seemed 
to  be  watching,  and  the  tiny  thing  looked  lonely  in 
the  big  church.  I  was  told  it  was  customary,  both 
in  Old  and  New  Mexico,  to  dress  up  a  dead  child  in 
bright  clothes,  crown  the  head  with  flowers,  and 
carry  it  around  the  town,  with  a  band  of  music 
playing  the  liveliest  airs. 

Even  those  who  had  died  of  small-pox  were  ex- 
hibited, and,  of  course,  the  disease  was  spread  in 
this  way,  very  few  of  the  natives  being  vaccinated. 
There  was  always  more  or  less  small-pox  in  Mexican 
towns,  but,  as  it  seldom  attacked  Americans,  we  had 
little  fear  of  it,  though,  when  going  to  a  station  close 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  fi 

to  a  Mexican  settlement,  we  took  the  precaution  to 
be  vaccinated. 

Once  husband  was  in  a  town  where  a  fiesta  (or 
festival)  was  held,  and  he  became  interested  in  a 
game  going  on  in  the  street,  taking  no  notice  of  his 
surroundings,  until,  just  at  his  feet,  a  Mexican  woman, 
sitting  on  the  ground,  unrolled  a  bundle  on  her  lap, 
which  proved  to  be  a  baby  covered  with  small-pox. 
He  did  not  wait  to  see  the  end  of  the  game. 

In  the  same  town  lived  an  American  merchant, 
with  whom  we  dealt  occasionally.  One  day  he  asked 
me  to  go  into  his  house  to  see  his  wife,  who  was  a 
Spanish  woman,  and  I  went,  though  I  only  knew 
enough  of  her  language  to  ask  her  how  she  was, 
nor  could  she  speak  English.  So  we  sat  smiling 
and  bowing  at  each  other,  looking  very  silly,  no 
doubt,  when  I  remembered  there  was  a  baby,  and  I 
managed  to  ask,  in  Spanish,  how  it  was.  Her  face 
changed  at  once,  and  she  tried  her  best  to  make 
me  understand  it  was  not  well,  pointing  her  finger 
to  her  forehead  and  cheeks  in  such  a  significant 
way  I  was  certain  the  child  had  small-pox.  I  did 
not  feel  very  comfortable,  but  thought  I  would  sit 
a  little  longer. 

In  a  few  moments  the  lady  opened  a  door  and 
called  the  nurse,  who  came  in  with  the  baby  in  her 
arms.  One  glance,  and  I  fled.  Its  little  yellow  face 
was  spotted  all  over  with  what  I  took  to  be  small- 
pox ;  but  I  did  not  stop  to  ask  any  questions,  running 
through  the  store  and  into  the  street  to  our  carriage 
before  I  drew  breath.  I  have  no  doubt  my  rapid 
flight  amazed  the  polite  little  Spanish  woman,  and 


?2  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

that  she  thought  the  Sefiora  Americano  had  gone 
suddenly  crazy.  That  was  coming  a  little  too  close 
to  such  a  loathsome  disease  for  comfort,  and  after 
that  experience  I  made  no  visits  unless  I  knew  more 
about  the  people  on  whom  I  was  calling. 

We  had  been  but  a  short  time  at  Fort  Bliss  when 
Captain  Elliott's  servants,  a  man,  his  wife,  and  daugh- 
ter, all  slaves,  were  induced  against  their  own  inclina- 
tions to  secure  their  freedom  by  crossing  the  Rio 
Grande  into  Mexico.  Their  departure  upset  our 
domestic  arrangements  very  materially,  as  all  were 
good,  capable  servants,  apparently  happy  and  satisfied 
with  their  treatment.  They  found  out  the  mistake  in 
leaving,  too  late.  They  returned  of  their  own  accord, 
wretched  and  penitent,  but  the  once  pleasant  and 
comfortable  home  was  theirs  no  longer.  Captain 
Elliott  had  always  told  them  if  they  left  him  he  would 
never  have  them  again,  and  he  kept  his  word,  sorry 
as  we  all  were  to  part  with  them,  and,  heart-broken  as 
they  were,  he  sold  them  to  a  rich  man  near  Fort  Bliss. 
They  realized  too  late  what  they  had  lost. 

Our  second  daughter  was  born  at  Fort  Bliss  early 
in  the  fall,  and  as  she  had  more  comfortable  surround- 
ings and  better  care  than  her  sister,  she  took  a  more 
cheerful  view  of  life,  and  behaved  quite  well.  A  little, 
old  Irish  camp-woman  took  care  of  her.  She  had 
much  true  Irish  wit,  and  her  small,  withered  face  was 
full  of  fun.  A  thick,  close-fitting  white  muslin  cap 
with  a  deep  ruffle  hanging  from  it  added  to  her  com- 
ical expression. 

Kit,  the  little  black  child,  was  extremely  ill  that 
summer,  and  we  thought  she  would  die ;  but  she  lived 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  73 

to  return  to  the  bosom  of  her  family,  marry,  and  kill 
herself  at  last  by  falling  down  stairs. 

In  the  fall,  husband  applied  for  a  year's  leave  of 
absence.  He  had  been  on  the  frontier  for  five  years, 
and  thought  he  would  like  a  change.  The  leave  was 
granted,  and  we  made  preparations  to  go  East  about 
the  middle  of  October.  Mrs.  Elliott  and  baby,  her 
two  step-children,  and  Mexican  nurse  were  to  go  with 
us,  leaving  Captain  Elliott  at  Fort  Bliss. 

We  disliked  giving  up  our  pleasant  station,  where 
we  had  been  so  comfortable  and  happy.  The  quarters 
were  tolerably  good,  and  there  were  fewer  insects  and 
snakes  than  at  some  other  places  where  we  had  lived. 
I  only  remember  seeing  one  snake,  and  that  was  on 
the  bedroom  floor.  When  I  awoke  one  morning  I 
saw  what  I  took  to  be  a  curiously  striped  piece  of 
ribbon.  My  suspicions  were  aroused,  however,  and 
we  soon  found  out  what  it  was  and  killed  it.  We 
supposed  it  fell  from  the  thatched  roof  to  the  floor. 
There  was  no  ceiling  in  the  rooms,  so  that  the  rafters 
and  thatching  were  distinctly  visible,  and  there  was 
nothing  to  prevent  a  snake  dropping  in  on  us  when- 
ever he  felt  inclined. 

We  left  Fort  Bliss  for  San  Antonio  on  the  1 3th  of 
October  with  an  escort  and  enough  men  to  pitch  our 
tents.  Mrs.  Elliott  and  her  family  had  an  ambulance 
for  themselves,  while  we  used  one  belonging  to  an 
army  officer  who  wanted  it  sent  to  San  Antonio,  so 
we  were  mutually  accommodated. 

We  had  four  mules  in  our  team  which  husband 
was  to  drive  the  whole  six  hundred  miles,  and  he  did 
it  in  a  very  creditable  manner.  Many  an  anxious 
D  7 


74  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

day  and  night  we  spent  on  that  journey.  The  Indians 
were  ever  on  the  lookout  for  small  parties,  and  eter- 
nal vigilance  was  required  to  keep  them  at  bay,  and 
"  the  lieutenant"  was  always  on  the  alert. 

Our  camps  were  kept  as  dark  as  possible  at  night, 
no  fires  nor  candles  were  allowed,  but  such  precau- 
tions were  often  useless,  for,  just  when  everything 
should  have  been  quiet,  one  or  other  baby  was  sure 
to  set  up  such  a  roar  "  as  might  have  been  heard  ten 
miles  or  more." 

I  quake  now,  when  I  think  what  risks  we  ran 
travelling  with  small  escorts.  Nothing  but  constant 
watchfulness  on  the  part  of  Lieutenant  Lane  and 
his  few  men  kept  us  from  being  attacked.  Indians 
were  more  afraid  of  soldiers  then,  and  had  more 
respect  for  them  than  now,  and  travellers  with  a 
military  escort,  when  careful,  were  not  often  molested, 
unless  the  Indians  far  outnumbered  them  and  were 
sure  of  the  result.  A  bow  with  poisoned  arrows 
was  the  Indians'  principal  weapon,  and  it  was  seldom 
that  a  good  gun  was  found  among  them ;  hence  their 
respect  for  a  well-armed  soldier. 

Woe  to  the  hapless  party  that  fell  into  the  devilish 
hands  of  a  band  of  Indians !  Men  were  generally 
put  to  death  by  slow  torture,  but  they  were  allowed 
to  live  long  enough  to  witness  the  atrocities  practised 
on  their  wives  and  children,  such  things  as  only 
fiends  could  devise.  Babies  had  their  brains  dashed 
out  before  the  eyes  of  father  and  mother,  powerless 
to  help  them.  Lucky  would  the  latter  have  been, 
had  they  treated  her  in  the  same  way ;  but  what  she 
was  forced  to  endure  would  have  wrung  tears  from 


I  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  ?$ 

anything  but  an  Indian.  Do  you  wonder  at  our 
dread  of  them  ? 

The  country  between  Fort  Bliss  and  Fort  Davis 
was  particularly  adapted  to  Indian  warfare.  Nu- 
merous trains  of  wagons  and  bands  of  emigrants 
had  been  attacked  and  destroyed  at  some  of  the 
water-holes  on  that  road.  Van  Horn's  Well,  Eagle 
Spring,  and  Dead  Man's  Hole  were  favorite  water- 
ing-places and  camp-grounds.  Dreary,  desolate 
spots  they  were,  as  many  an  army  officer  and  soldier, 
and  women  not  a  few,  can  testify. 

Our  little  camp  of  four  or  five  tents,  two  ambu- 
lances, and  possibly  three  wagons,  looked  lonesome 
enough,  with  but  a  handful  of  men  and  two  or  three 
women  and  some  little  children ;  not  another  living 
thing  to  be  seen,  except  the  mules. 

It  was  a  pleasure  to  us  when  we  reached  an  army 
post  where  we  were  safe,  and  for  that  day,  at  least, 
could  relax  our  vigilance.  We  met  with  kind  friends 
everywhere,  who  supplied  us  with  many  comforts 
which  could  not  be  purchased. 

We  stayed  over  at  Fort  Davis,  where  wagons,  etc., 
were  repaired  and  everything  put  to  rights  that  re- 
quired attention.  The  people  whom  we  met  in  1 856, 
when  the  Rifle  Regiment  passed  there,  en  route  to 
New  Mexico,  were  all  gone ;  but  those  who  replaced 
them  were  equally  kind,  and  anxious  to  help  us  in 
any  way. 

We  had  a  funny  time  at  Camp  (now  Fort)  Stockton, 
our  next  halting-place ;  at  least  it  is  funny  now  to 
remember.  As  there  were  some  quarters  vacant,  we 
went  into  them,  while  we  remained,  as  we  had  more 


76  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

room  than  in  the  tents  to  examine  our  camping 
"  outfit,"  mend  clothes,  etc. 

The  first  thing  we  did  was  to  make  inquiries  for  a 
laundress,  as  we  had  been  without  one  for  some  time. 
Unfortunately  for  us,  the  day  to  "lie  over"  was 
Sunday,  and  not  a  camp-woman  at  the  post  would 
do  anything  for  us,  which  might  speak  well  for  their 
piety ;  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  they  had  some- 
thing more  entertaining  on  hand  for  the  day,  and, 
having  worked  hard  all  week,  did  not  care  to  put 
themselves  out  to  accommodate  us.  Here  was  an 
unlooked-for  dilemma;  we  were  obliged  to  leave 
next  day,  and  must  find  a  laundress  somewhere. 

After  a  consultation  it  became  very  evident  that  if 
there  was  to  be  any  washing  done  that  Sunday 
morning,  the  ladies  must  do  it  themselves ;  and  we 
went  to  work,  borrowed  tubs  and  boards,  rolled  up 
our  sleeves  in  true  laundress  style,  and  did  our  best. 

The  results  were  far  from  satisfactory ;  though  we 
used  all  our  energy  and  strength,  the  articles  looked 
rather  worse  than  before  they  had  passed  through 
our  unskilful  hands.  We  were  not  much  elated  at 
our  first  attempt  at  washing  clothes,  and  did  not  try 
to  iron  them. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


XIII 

WE  left  Camp  Stockton  next  day  with  a  large 
train  of  empty  wagons,  returning  to  San  Antonio, 
and  Lieutenant  Lane  took  control  of  it,  to  the  evi- 
dent disgust  of  the  wagon-master,  who  hoped  to 
have  matters  all  his  own  way,  halting  and  leaving 
camp  as  suited  his  own  convenience.  He  was  a 
small,  lame  man,  with  a  villanous  countenance,  who 
never  obeyed  an  order  without  a  protest.  His 
conduct  was  almost  mutinous,  and  I  feared  trouble 
from  him  and  his  teamsters,  as  he  had  influence  with 
them,  and  turned  them  against  "the  lieutenant." 
All  this,  added  to  my  anxiety  about  Indians,  made 
the  journey  anything  but  pleasant. 

The  man  gave  in  at  last,  knowing  he  must  obey 
or  fight ;  but  he  was  always  sullen  and  disagreeable. 

Again  I  saw  Camp  Lancaster,  the  worst  of  all  the 
posts  in  Texas.  The  road  to  it  led  over  a  hill, 
which  was  even  worse  than  those  we  crossed  going 
to  Burgwin,  and  exceeds  my  descriptive  powers.  I 
had  laughed  when  told  of  this  dreadful  hill,  and  my 
friend  said  she  knew  I  would  not  ride  down  it ;  I  re- 
plied I  never  got  out  of  the  ambulance,  no  matter 
how  bad  the  road  might  be.  When  I  came  to  the 
top  of  it  and  saw  what  was  before  me,  I  pulled  open 
the  door  of  the  ambulance,  and  was  on  the  ground 

7* 


78  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

in  a  second  and  walked  to  the  bottom  of  the  hill. 
How  ambulances  and  wagons  ever  went  up  and 
down  such  a  place  without  being  dashed  to  pieces  I 
cannot  imagine,  but  then  nothing  ever  seemed  to 
happen  to  army  wagons. 

We  found  Fort  Clark  much  improved  since  we 
had  lived  there,  in  the  little  shanty  in  the  chaparral. 
General  French  was  in  command,  and  entertained 
us  most  kindly. 

Five  or  six  days  later  we  readied  San  Antonio, 
and  were  thankful  the  most  dangerous  part  of  the 
road  was  passed. 

The  quartermaster  at  once  discharged  the  insub- 
ordinate wagon-master  when  the  case  was  laid  before 
him,  whereupon  the  man  sent  word  to  Lieutenant 
Lane  he  was  going  to  kill  him,  but  he  changed  his 
mind. 

As  the  yellow  fever  was  epidemic  in  some  of  the 
towns  through  which  we  must  pass  to  reach  the 
coast,  we  were  obliged  to  delay  our  departure  for 
the  North,  and  decided  to  visit  Austin  until  the 
weather  became  cold  enough  for  frost  or  until  the 
fever  abated.  An  addition  of  ten  people,  large  and 
small,  made  a  material  change  in  the  household  of 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Lane ;  but,  with  true  Southern  hospi- 
tality, they  would  not  hear  of  our  going  anywhere 
else  to  stay. 

By  the  4th  of  December  it  was  thought  safe  for 
us  to  begin  our  travels  towards  the  coast  through 
the  country  where  the  fever  had  recently  raged. 

When  we  left  Austin,  in  the  stage,  the  day  was 
very  hot.  There  had  been  enough  frost  before  that 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  79 

time,  however,  to  put  an  end  to  the  epidemic  for  that 
season.  As  night  drew  on,  an  unmistakable  puff  of 
cool  wind  announced  the  coming  of  a  norther,  and 
by  the  time  the  town  was  reached  where  we  were  to 
change  horses  we  were  suffering  with  the  cold.  We 
were  tired  out  from  our  day's  ride,  and  still  had  the 
prospect  of  an  all-night  journey  before  us.  It  took 
some  time  to  get  the  weary,  sleepy  children  out  of 
the  stage  and  into  the  house,  where  the  warmth  of  a 
bright  wood-fire  comforted  us  all  wonderfully.  By 
this  time  it  was  blowing  and  raining  hard,  the  rain 
freezing  as  it  fell.  The  stage  only  stopped  at  this 
place  long  enough  to  change  horses  usually,  but  the 
ice-cold  norther  paralyzed  the  negro  hostlers,  and  it 
was  hours  before  all  were  ready  to  leave. 

Instead  of  the  regular  coach,  a  "  mud-wagon"  had 
been  substituted,  on  account  of  the  dangerous  condi- 
tion of  the  roads,  which  were  frozen  and  very  slip- 
pery. 

What  a  fearful  night  we  passed  !  There  were  ten 
in  our  party,  including  the  baby,  a  very  important 
member  of  it,  as  she  ran  equal  chances  of  freezing 
or  smothering.  How  we  all  managed  to  pack  in  the 
wagon,  with  several  other  passengers,  I  do  not  know. 
I  remember  my  shawl  had  slipped  off  my  shoulders, 
and  I  was  utterly  powerless  and  unable  to  get  it 
around  me  again,  and  no  one  could  assist  me  unless 
I  stood  up.  I  managed  to  stagger  to  my  feet,  hold- 
ing the  baby  in  my  arms.  Then  I  found  I  could 
neither  stand  nor  get  back  to  my  seat.  I  cried  out 
for  help,  that  the  baby  would  freeze  to  death,  and 
some  one,  finally,  was  able  to  plant  me  in  the  half- 


8O  /  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 

dozen  inches  of  seat  again.  I  made  no  more  at- 
tempts to  rise.  The  men  passengers  spent  most  of 
the  night  walking ;  the  roads  were  in  such  a  state  the 
horses  could  not  pull  the  heavy  load.  Mr.  Lane 
walked,  too,  rolled  in  a  Navajo  blanket  to  protect 
himself  from  the  sleet ;  by  morning  it  was  frozen  stiff 
on  him.  The  driver  had  frequently  to  ask  for  help 
from  the  men,  and  when  we  reached  the  stopping- 
place,  next  morning,  the  poor  fellows  were  almost 
exhausted,  and  we  were  so  cramped  and  tired  we 
were  hardly  able  to  walk. 

The  house  seemed  delightfully  comfortable  after 
our  cold  night- ride,  and  we  were  not  much  distressed 
when  told  we  would  not  be  able  to  leave  the  town 
for  several  days.  There  was  a  rope-ferry  over  the 
river,  and  as  soon  as  the  norther  came  all  hands 
struck  work  and  could  not  be  induced  to  do  any- 
thing. No  use  to  grumble;  there  the  passengers 
must  wait  until  the  norther  blew  itself  out. 

The  house  was  small  and  pretty  well  filled,  when 
we  arrived,  with  storm-stayed  people  from  various 
points.  There  was  but  one  room  left  for  all  of  us, 
and  beds  were  put  on  the  floor.  There  was  plenty 
to  eat,  and  we  were  satisfied,  or,  at  least,  we  accepted 
the  situation  cheerfully. 

We  were  glad,  however,  when  it  was  announced 
the  stage  would  leave  "  that  day."  Being  the  earliest 
arrivals  from  Austin,  we  were  entitled  to  seats  in  the 
first  coach  that  left.  We  could  have  sold  our  privi- 
lege for  a  high  price,  but  we  were  anxious  to  get  on, 
and  paid  no  attention  to  hints  thrown  out  by  those 
quite  as  desirous  of  leaving  as  we  were. 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  8 1 

We  found  the  men  at  the  ferry  sufficiently  thawed 
to  get  us  across  the  river  safely,  and  we  said  good- 
by  gladly  to  Chappell  Hill,  Texas,  though  it  had 
been  a  haven  of  rest  to  us  after  that  ride  in  the 
bitter  cold  storm. 

Several  of  the  small  towns  through  which  we 
passed  were  almost  depopulated  by  yellow  fever ;  in 
some  of  them  there  were  scarcely  enough  people 
left  to  bury  the  dead.  At  Houston  we  were  obliged 
to  stay  half  a  day  at  the  hotel,  which  had  just  been 
reopened,  after  having  been  closed  some  time  on 
account  of  the  fever.  This  seemed  to  bring  us 
rather  too  close  to  it,  but  there  was  no  danger  of 
taking  the  disease  after  the  frost. 

We  had  a  ride  on  the  only  railroad  at  that  time  in 
Texas ;  the  best  thing  I  can  say  of  it  was,  it  was 
very  short.  From  the  cars  we  went  aboard  a  steam- 
boat, which  passed  through  bayous  so  narrow  she 
frequently  scraped  the  banks  and  was  shoved  off 
with  long  poles.  No  outlet  was  visible,  so  numerous 
were  the  twists  and  turns.  But  the  boat  kept  on  her 
winding  way  until  she  entered  a  broad  sheet  of  water, 
and  soon  after  Galveston  was  reached.  We  were 
obliged  to  remain  there  a  day  or  two,  waiting  for  a 
steamer  to  cross  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  for  New  Orleans. 
We  did  not  particularly  crave  the  three  days'  voyage, 
but  as  no  other  route  was  then  open  to  us,  we  were 
soon  on  board  the  big  ship  and  steaming  out  of  the 
Galveston  harbor.  As  has  always  been  my  experi- 
ence in  travelling,  the  domestics  were  useless.  Kit 
and  Marie,  the  Mexican  nurse,  were  at  once  over- 
come and  unable  to  do  anything.  None  of  us 


82  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

suffered  at  all  from  sea-sickness,  nor  did  the  children, 
although  the  passage  was  not  particularly  smooth. 
I  remember  the  ship  gave  a  lurch  one  day  while 
husband  was  dressing  in  the  state-room,  and  his 
head  went  through  a  looking-glass  which  hung  over 
the  wash-stand.  We  were  not  superstitious,  and,  as 
no  cuts  or  bruises  resulted,  we  did  not  give  it  another 
thought.  Not  all  of  our  fellow-passengers  fared  as 
well  as  we  did,  however,  regarding  sea-sickness. 
One  was  a  bright  boy,  about  twelve  years  old,  whom 
I  noticed  when  we  left  Galveston  and  not  again  until 
we  were  going  off  the  ship.  I  asked  if  he  had  been 
sea-sick.  He  said,  "  Yes,  very ;  too  ill  to  eat  any- 
thing, although  he  had  paid  for  his  passage  and  meals 
before  leaving  Galveston."  He  spoke  in  an  injured 
tone  and  felt  badly  treated. 

From  New  Orleans  to  Carlisle  it  was  a  series  of 
staging  and  railroading ;  tedious  delays  were  frequent. 
It  did  not  seem  of  the  least  consequence  whether 
trains  were  run  on  time  or  not.  There  were  no 
Pullman  cars  then,  and  we  had  to  do  the  best  we 
could  when  travelling  at  night.  Sometimes  changes 
had  to  be  made  after  we  had  gone  to  sleep,  and  great 
confusion  was  the  result,  to  collect  the  children, 
bundles,  etc.  If  we  had  not  been  so  interested  we 
would  have  found  it  amusing  to  watch  the  Mexican 
girl  getting  out  of  the  cars.  She  never  had  seen  one 
before,  and  was  not  used  to  going  up-  and  down-stairs 
in  the  adobe  shanties  at  home.  She  would  stand  on 
the  platform  of  the  car,  put  one  foot  on  the  step  and 
bring  the  other  down  beside  it,  standing  still  for  a 
second  or  two,  trying  to  hold  her  dress  closely 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  83 

around  her  ankles;  then  she  would  go  through  the 
same  thing  until  she  reached  the  ground,  and  we 
were  ready  to  shake  her  for  her  delay. 

She  almost  had  a  convulsion  the  first  time  she 
heard  a  steam-engine  whistle. 

In  Mississippi  we  had  another  tedious  stage-ride 
of  a  day  and  part  of  the  night.  The  coach  was 
packed  full,  of  course,  and  the  poor  children  had  to 
sit  on  any  lap  that  would  accommodate  them.  The 
mud  was  two  feet  deep,  and  the  men  passengers  had 
to  assist  in  digging  the  stage  out  of  the  mire  with 
fence-rails  several  times  during  the  day.  It  was 
midnight  when  we  reached  the  railroad  again.  There 
was  not  a  house  anywhere  about,  in  which  we  could 
get  a  room  to  rest,  and  we  were  in  despair.  After 
a  while,  some  men  connected  with  the  railroad  took 
compassion  on  the  poor  tired  children,  and  let  us  go 
into  a  baggage-car,  filled  with  mail-bags,  over  which 
we  spread  some  shawls,  lay  down,  and  slept  soundly 
until  the  cars  were  ready  to  leave  next  morning. 

When  we  arrived  at  Washington  a  question  arose 
about  allowing  Kit  to  be  taken  from  a  slave  State 
into  a  free  one  without  certain  papers,  although  she 
was  born  free.  We  were  delayed  some  time  while 
the  matter  was  discussed,  and  at  last  "the  lieutenant's" 
patience  became  exhausted,  and  he  told  the  man 
they  could  keep  her,  which  made  the  child  almost 
white  from  fright.  Finally,  consent  was  given  for 
her  to  leave,  the  authorities  being  satisfied  she  was 
not  a  slave. 


84  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


XIV 

WE  finished  our  travels  just  before  Christmas. 
What  a  comfort  it  was  to  find  a  good  nurse  ready 
for  the  baby,  and  be  able  to  rest  after  having  been  on 
the  road  since  the  middle  of  October,  two  months. 

Notwithstanding  a  whole  year's  leave  had  been 
granted  when  the  application  was  made,  husband 
was  ordered  back  to  New  Mexico  the  next  summer. 
He  went  on  to  New  York  and  laid  his  case  before 
"  the  powers,"  all  to  no  purpose.  Lorenzo  Thomas 
was  then  adjutant-general  to  General  Winfield  Scott, 
and  not  noted  for  his  suave  manner  nor  kindly  feel- 
ing towards  young  officers.  The  interview  between 
the  two  gentlemen  was  stormy,  which,  perhaps,  did 
"  the  lieutenant's"  cause  more  harm  than  good ;  but 
he  had  the  satisfaction  of  expressing  his  opinion  on 
his  own  case  as  well  as  some  others. 

My  sister,  Mrs.  Elliott,  never  returned  to  the  fron- 
tier. She  went  to  housekeeping  in  Carlisle,  where 
Captain  Elliott  joined  her  some  time  afterwards. 

When  we  found  we  must  go  back  to  New  Mexico, 
we  made  hasty  preparations,  and  were  most  fortu- 
nate in  securing  two  excellent  colored  women  to  take 
with  us. 

The  nurse,  a  faithful,  honest,  trustworthy  woman, 
and  good-tempered  besides,  was  always  to  be  de- 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  85 

pended  upon  and  a  great  comfort  to  us.  She  still 
lives  with  members  of  my  family. 

The  cook  was  an  excellent  one ;  but  her  temper 
was  fearful,  and  I  was  dreadfully  afraid  of  her.  She 
is  dead  now,  or  I  would  not  make  such  a  confession. 

In  July,  1860,  we  were  again  at  Fort  Leavenworth, 
en  route  to  New  Mexico.  "  Prince  John"  Magruder 
was  in  command  at  Leavenworth  that  summer.  I 
dined  once  with  him  at  Fort  Clark,  Texas.  The 
dinner  was  of  necessity  as  plain  as  it  could  be ;  but 
it  was  served  in  courses  and  in  grand  style.  John 
was  always  magnificent. 

We  found  the  usual  large  body  of  recruits  and  a 
number  of  officers,  married  and  single,  outward  bound. 
My  brother,  then  living  in  St.  Louis,  was  anxious  for 
a  buffalo  hunt,  and  went  with  us  some  distance  on  the 
Plains.  Although  it  was  to  be  the  third  time  I  had 
crossed  them,  I  was  not  sorry.  I  really  enjoyed  it, 
although  the  scenery  was  monotonous ;  for  weeks  at 
a  time  not  a  tree  was  in  sight,  nothing  but  the  green 
rolling  prairies  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach. 

When  we  left  Fort  Leavenworth  for  New  Mexico, 
each  ambulance  was  given  its  position  in  line  accord- 
ing to  the  rank  of  the  officer  whose  family  occupied 
it ;  consequently,  the  wives  and  children  of  the  lieu- 
tenants suffered  much  from  the  dust  made  by  a  long 
line  of  vehicles  ahead  of  theirs.  Meek  little  Mrs. 
Blank  took  it  all  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  submitted 
without  a  murmur.  Not  so,  however,  with  saucy 
Mrs.  Dash,  who  aired  her  opinions  as  to  "  rank  among 
army  women"  on  all  occasions,  and  could  not  be  made 
to  see  why  the  families  of  second  lieutenants  should 

8 


86  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

swallow  more  than  their  allotted  "  peck,"  in  a  shorter 
time  than  was  necessary.  She  thought  it  would  be 
pleasant  to  have  a  day  without  dust  occasionally,  and 
that  she  would  enjoy  riding  in  front,  where  the  car- 
riage of  the  colonel  was  always  to  be  seen. 

It  seemed  to  me  only  fair  that  the  ambulances 
should  change  place,  each  taking  its  turn  at  the  head 
of  the  column  ;  but  those  in  command  did  not  look 
on  it  that  way,  and  the  position  taken  the  first  day 
out  was  to  continue  to  the  end. 

The  truth  is,  all  army  women,  from  the  wife  of  the 
commanding  general  down  to  the  wife  of  a  second 
lieutenant,  are  treated  with  so  much  courtesy  and 
politeness  by  army  officers  that  they  do  not  like  any- 
thing that  has  the  least  appearance  of  a  slight  or  an 
infringement  of  their  rights.  They  never  grow  old 
in  a  garrison,  and  always  receive  attentions  to  which 
no  woman  in  citizen  life  is  accustomed  when  no  longer 
young.  I  have  seen  gray-haired  ladies  at  an  army 
post  dance  at  the  hops  with  as  much  enjoyment  as 
the  younger  ones,  and  they  are  always  invited  by  the 
men,  young  and  old,  to  do  so  as  a  matter  of  course. 
The  hops  are  more  like  a  family  reunion  than  a  gath- 
ering of  strangers. 

After  Colonel  Lane  was  retired,  and  we  lived  in  the 
East  and  North,  it  took  me  some  time  to  understand 
that  I  need  not  look  for  the  numerous  courtesies  to 
which  I  had  always  been  accustomed  at  an  army 
frontier  post,  and  that  if  I  went  out  at  all,  I  must  join 
the  army  of  "  wall  flowers,"  and  expect  nothing. 

But  I  am  loitering  and  digressing  when  I  should 
be  many  miles  on  the  road  and  in  full  view  of  the 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  8/ 

thousands  and  thousands  of  buffalo,  quietly  grazing 
and  offering  every  inducement  to  the  hunters  to  go 
out  and  kill  them.  The  vast  herds  paid  not  the  least 
attention  to  us,  unless  the  wind  blew  from  our  direc- 
tion towards  them,  when  a  regular  stampede  followed, 
and  they  got  out  of  sight  far  more  rapidly  than  you 
would  believe  such  a  clumsy,  heavy  beast  could  travel, 
leaving  the  old  bulls  to  guard  their  retreat. 

No  wonder  the  buffalo  has  entirely  disappeared 
from  the  Plains.  Hundreds  of  thousands  were  killed 
for  mere  sport, — often  for  the  tongue  alone.  The 
prairies  were  strewn  with  their  carcasses,  furnishing 
food  for  the  roving  bands  of  coyotes,  always  to  be 
heard  at  night  around  our  camps. 

Those  fearful  storms  of  which  I  have  spoken  be- 
fore gave  us  an  almost  daily  benefit.  One  day  our 
camp  had  been  selected  on  a  high  bluff  overlooking 
a  river ;  Lieutenant  Lane  was  quartermaster,  and  had 
to  leave  us  to  attend  to  business.  We  were  sitting  in 
the  ambulance  waiting  for  the  tents  to  be  pitched, 
and  the  driver  was  standing  by  his  team  of  four  fine 
bay  mules,  when  a  flash  of  lightning  out  of  an  almost 
clear  sky,  followed  by  a  tremendous  clap  of  thunder, 
sent  the  whole  team  flying  along  the  edge  of  the 
precipice.  I  held  on  to  the  children  and  shut  my 
eyes,  expecting  every  instant  to  go  over  and  into  the 
river ;  but  the  trusty  driver  had  the  reins  and  held  on 
with  might  and  main,  and  though  dragged  some  dis- 
tance he  never  lost  his  presence  of  mind.  He  soon 
checked  the  mules,  but  it  was  a  very  narrow  escape. 

Another  day,  just  as  we  got  into  the  tent,  the  quar- 
termaster was  away  looking  after  the  men,  when  a 


88  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

heavy  thunder-gust  came  up.  The  tent,  not  being 
well  pitched,  swayed  with  the  wind,  while  I,  with  the 
baby  in  my  arms,  tried  to  steady  the  shaking  pole. 
I  found  I  could  not  hold  it  and  the  baby  too,  so  I  sat 
down  on  the  ground  to  await  the  expected  falling  of 
the  tent,  the  walls  of  which  had  already  become  un- 
pinned. In  an  instant  I  was  drenched  through,  as  it 
was  raining  in  torrents,  and  I  leaned  over  the  baby  to 
keep  her  from  drowning. 

Husband  arrived  in  the  midst  of  the  storm,  and, 
seeing  our  pitiable  plight,  called  some  men  to  assist 
him,  and  together  they  held  up  the  tent  until  the 
danger  was  over.  The  situation  was  amusing  after 
the  squall  had  passed.  I  must  have  been  a  funny 
sight,  trying  to  keep  the  tent  from  falling.  Husband 
laughs  yet  at  the  remembrance. 

For  travelling,  our  tent  was  always  lined  with  dark 
green  cambric,  which,  when  there  was  no  other  shade, 
was  a  great  comfort.  The  glare  from  the  white  can- 
vas, with  the  roasting  July  and  August  sun  upon  it 
for  hours,  was  almost  unbearable;  the  dark  lining 
slightly  alleviated  our  sufferings.  For  weeks  we 
barely  existed  in  camp  through  the  heat  of  the  day ; 
the  tent-walls  were  rolled  up,  in  hopes  a  stray,  cool 
wind  might  find  its  way  to  us ;  but  what  came  gen- 
erally felt  as  if  it  had  been  born  and  raised  in  a  fiery 
furnace. 

Our  costumes  were  in  the  Georgia  style ;  but,  like 
the  ostrich,  we  felt  that  when  our  heads  were  hidden 
our  bodies  were  invisible.  No  one  had  much  inclina- 
tion to  watch  his  neighbor,  nor  care  about  his  appear- 
ance; he  had  enough  on  hand  trying  to  keep  alive 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  89 

until  the  sun  went  down,  when  there  was  relief  until 
next  day. 

Those  hot  prairie  winds  were  very  trying  to  a 
woman's  complexion,  and  husband  often  compared 
the  color  of  mine  to  a  new  saddle.  I  never  tried  but 
once  to  take  care  of  my  skin,  and  that  was  when  I 
first  crossed  the  Plains,  going  home.  Some  one  made 
me  a  chamois-skin  mask,  which  I  put  on  one  day  and 
frightened  the  baby  so  badly  that  it  is  needless  to  say 
the  mask  was  laid  aside  after  that  one  trial,  and  I 
never  made  an  effort  again  to  preserve  my  complexion. 

During  those  scorching  hot  days  it  was  necessary 
to  leave  camp  very  early,  that  most  of  the  travelling 
might  be  done  in  the  cool  of  the  morning.  Reveille 
frequently  sounded  at  two  A.M.,  and  by  three  break- 
fast was  over,  tents  down,  wagons  packed,  and  nothing 
else  to  be  done  until  "  boots  and  saddles"  rang  out, 
when  the  recruits  fell  into  line,  officers  mounted  their 
horses,  arftl  the  ladies  and  children  crept  sleepily  into 
the  ambulances,  and  we  were  off  for  a  slow,  tiresome 
march,  the  brides  no  doubt  thinking  it  was  not  much 
fun  after  all  to  marry  an  army  officer.  I  for  one  never 
regretted  having  done  so,  and  loved  every  thing  con- 
nected with  the  army :  the  officers, — not  always  the 
wives,  however, — the  soldiers,  mules,  horses,  wagons, 
tents,  camps,  every  and  anything,  so  I  was  in  the 
army  and  part  of  it. 

The  grass  caught  fire  in  camp  one  very  hot  day, 
but  fortunately  there  was  no  wind,  and  we  were  able 
to  move  the  ambulance  and  gather  up  many  things 
and  carry  them  to  a  safe  place  before  the  flames  came 
close  to  us.  Hoop-skirts  were  then  worn,  and  when 

8* 


9O  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

I  heard  fire  call,  I  hurriedly  replaced  mine,  which  I 
had  taken  off  in  the  tent,  and  rushed  out,  leaving  my 
watch  on  the  bed,  thinking  more  of  my  appearance 
than  of  my  valuables,  evidently.  The  fire  came  near 
enough  to  scorch  the  tent-pins,  but  stopped  right 
there.  The  damage  done  was  slight,  the  loss  being 
confined  to  government  property.  Lieutenant  Lane 
and  my  brother  had  exerted  themselves  so  much  that 
the  latter  was  overcome  by  the  heat  and  unconscious 
for  some  time,  but  finally  recovered. 

Until  far  out  on  the  prairies  we  had  an  abundance 
of  excellent  wood  and  water,  but  as  we  travelled  on 
both  became  scarce.  Wood  was  unobtainable  in  the 
treeless  country  through  which  we  marched,  and  the 
only  fuel  was  "  buffalo  chips."  The  water  frequently 
was  from  a  standing  pool  hardly  fit  for  horses  or 
mules,  and  poison  almost  to  human  beings. 

One  of  the  first  things  done  on  reaching  camp  was 
to  put  a  guard  over  the  water,  to  prevent  the  animals 
from  rushing  into  it  and  making  it  even  worse  than 
it  was. 

Sometimes  a  train  with  many  mules  or  oxen  had 
camped  there  just  before  we  arrived,  and  as  the  team- 
sters were  not  particular  to  keep  the  poor  thirsty 
creatures  out  of  the  water,  its  condition  beggars 
description,  and  the  taste  was  perceptible  even  in 
coffee,  which  was  not  remarkable  after  droves  of  mules 
and  oxen  had  stood  in  the  pond  for  hours. 

When  we  came  to  a  hole  of  good,  clean  water,  we 
filled  all  the  kegs  and  a  two-gallon  canteen,  so  that 
we  usually  had  enough  to  last  us  until  we  could  get 
another  supply  just  as  good ;  but  our  fellow-travellers 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  91 

were  not  often  as  provident  as  we  were,  and  many  a 
cup  of  cold  water  we  gave  to  those  who  needed  it. 
I  remember  one  day  Lieutenant  Lane  was  on  rear- 
guard ;  that  is,  he  and  the  guard  were  at  the  end  of 
the  column  of  soldiers  and  wagons,  with  the  prisoners. 
The  day  was  hot,  and  the  men  were  nearly  wild  with 
thirst,  and  mutinous.  Our  ambulance  was  also  in  the 
rear,  and  husband  stopped  it,  took  out  all  the  water 
we  had  in  kegs  and  canteen,  made  the  men  stand  in 
line,  and  gave  each  one  a  good  drink  ;  they  were  very 
grateful  and  much  cheered  by  it,  marching  quietly 
along  until  camp  was  reached. 


92  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


XV 

I  THINK  it  probable  you  would  not  have  enjoyed 
a  drink  of  that  water  from  keg  and  canteen,  as  did 
those  thirsty  men.  Of  course  there  was  no  ice  to 
cool  it ;  but  the  big  canteen  was  thickly  covered  with 
felt  or  piece  of  blanket,  which  was  kept  constantly 
wet,  and  hung  up  where  the  breeze  could  reach  it. 
In  this  way  the  water  was  made  quite  cool;  we 
thought  it  very  good  indeed,  scarcely  missing  the  ice, 
which  we  could  not  get. 

When  wood  was  abundant  we  laid  in  a  supply  for 
future  use,  carrying  a  log  of  fatty  pine  perhaps  a 
hundred  or  two  hundred  miles  chained  under  a  wagon, 
and  using  it  very  sparingly  to  kindle  the  fire.  Any 
one  fortunate  enough  to  find  a  piece  of  wood,  dropped 
by  a  passing  train  possibly,  was  the  envy  of  the  camp. 

To  this  day,  when  I  see  a  quantity  of  good  chips 
lying  in  the  street,  I  can  hardly  refrain  from  gathering 
them  up.  I  have  often  thought  if  I  ever  become  a 
childish  old  woman  my  delight  will  be  to  pick  up 
sticks,  remembering  how  valuable  a  piece  of  wood 
was  in  a  country  where  there  were  no  trees. 

At  that  time  a  little  camp-stove  of  sheet-iron  had 
been  invented,  which  required  very  little  wood.  On 
top  were  four  holes  for  pots  and  pans,  and  behind  the 
fire  was  a  small  oven  where  bread  could  be  beautifully 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  93 

baked  and  meat  roasted ;  there  was  but  little  weight 
to  it,  so  that  it  could  easily  be  carried  under  the  am- 
bulance, pipe  and  all.  As  soon  as  camp  was  reached 
the  stove  was  unchained,  put  in  position,  the  fire  made, 
and  by  the  time  the  tents  were  ready,  preparations  for 
our  evening  meal — call  it  what  you  will,  dinner  or 
supper — were  progressing  rapidly,  and  it  was  not  a 
bad  one,  either. 

Odors  from  many  camp-fires  were  soon  perceptible 
and  increased  our  hunger;  the  first  noticed  usually 
came  from  the  teamster's  mess,  and  was  a  mixture 
of  fried  onions,  bacon,  hot  bread,  and  coffee.  None 
of  you  who  have  not  tried  it  can  imagine  with  what 
keen  relish  such  a  simple  meal  was  eaten ;  with  appe- 
tites sharpened  by  the  pure  air  of  the  Plains,  anything 
tasted  good,  and  one  only  asked  for  quantity,  not 
quality. 

Among  the  soldiers'  wives  going  out  to  New  Mex- 
ico was  a  young  woman  whose  family  lived  in  Car- 
lisle, and  of  whom  I  knew  something,  so  that  I  felt 
interested  in  her.  She  was  a  direct  descendant  of 
Moll  Pitcher,  of  Revolutionary  fame,  whose  monu- 
ment is  now  in  a  cemetery  at  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania. 

After  travelling  several  weeks  she  died,  leaving  a 
baby  a  few  days  old.  The  poor  thing  had  ridden 
day  after  day  in  a  rough,  lumbering  government 
wagon,  hard  enough  on  a  well  woman,  and  death,  as 
it  proved,  to  her.  Her  baby  was  born  in  it,  and  there 
she  died.  Out  of  respect  to  her,  we  did  not  move 
next  day.  A  grave  was  dug  on  a  little  hill  above  the 
creek  which  flowed  through  the  camp,  and  all  the 
officers  and  ladies,  as  well  as  her  own  friends,  followed 


94  7  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

her  to  her  last  resting-place.  Lieutenant  Joseph 
Wheeler,  afterwards  major-general,  Confederate  States 
army,  read  the  burial  services  at  the  grave.  "  Nature 
sorrowed  o'er  the  scene ;"  black  clouds  hung  above 
us,  and  great  drops  of  rain  fell  on  the  rough  coffin  in 
the  open  grave.  Desolate  enough  the  little  mound 
on  the  hill-top  looked  when  we  left  camp  early  next 
day.  Every  care  was  taken  to  make  it  secure  against 
the  coyotes  (prairie  wolves),  which  had  often  been 
known  to  tear  open  a  grave  and  carry  off  the  body. 
To  prevent  this,  large  stones  were  placed  upon  it. 

Years  afterwards,  when  crossing  the  Plains  going 
to  the  States,  I  got  out  of  the  ambulance  and  went 
to  the  grave,  which  I  found  undisturbed.  I  hoped 
there  might  be  a  flower  growing  on  it,  that  I  could 
take  to  her  friends  at  home.  I  saw  nothing  but  a  few 
blades  of  grass,  which  I  picked,  adding  to  them  some 
pebbles  lying  near,  a  sad  souvenir  to  carry  to  sorrow- 
ing friends,  revealing,  as  it  did,  the  desolation  of  the 
spot  where  the  daughter  and  sister  was  buried. 

It  was  always  a  pleasure  to  us  when  going  towards 
New  Mexico  to  sight  the  Spanish  Peaks,  the  highest 
of  the  Taos  Mountains,  crowned  with  perpetual  snow. 
It  was  a  change  from  the  everlasting  grass-covered 
stretch,  which  we  had  for  weeks  at  a  time,  east,  west, 
north,  and  south  of  us.  We  never  seemed  to  get 
closer  to  the  Peaks :  as  we  advanced  they  receded, 
apparently.  They  were  always  there,  grand  and 
beautiful,  in  the  early  morning  with  the  first  rays  of 
the  sun  upon  them,  and  at  evening  with  clouds  of 
gold  and  crimson  lighting  up  the  dazzling  snow  on 
their  summits. 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  95 

As  we  approached  Fort  Union  the  appearance  of 
the  country  changed :  there  were  trees  and  hills  to 
vary  the  landscape,  and  the  Raton  Mountains  were 
yet  to  be  crossed.  I  always  enjoyed  the  day  in  the 
mountains ;  the  road  was  not  bad  and  the  scenery  was 
fine.  A  clear  little  noisy  stream  ran  here,  there,  and 
everywhere,  intercepting  our  path  time  and  again. 
The  crack  of  a  teamster's  big  whip  had  a  strange, 
muffled  sound  in  the  passes  of  the  hills,  which  still 
rings  in  my  ears. 

Once  over  the  Ratons,  we  knew  our  long  tramp 
was  almost  done,  as  Fort  Union  was  within  three  or 
four  days'  march  of  them.  We  might  be  ordered  to 
a  post  hundreds  of  miles  from  Union,  but  we  did  not 
object  to  that.  I  liked  passing  through  a  country 
where  we  occasionally  saw  a  house  and  human  beings ; 
it  was  less  tedious  than  roaming  over  the  Plains, 
where  we  never  saw  any  one  but  our  own  command, 
unless  we  met  a  train  of  wagons  returning  to  the 
States,  and  there  was  nothing  very  exciting  in  that, 
I  am  sure ;  but  we  looked  after  the  whole  long  string 
as  it  passed,  and  were  sorry  when  it  was  lost  in  the 
distance. 

"  The  lieutenant"  was  ordered  to  remain  at  Fort 
Union,  and  all  we  had  in  the  way  of  furniture,  etc., 
was  soon  settled  in  the  quarters  assigned  us.  They 
were  built  of  logs,  and  old,  but  cosey  and  homelike, 
and,  with  our  good  cook  and  nurse,  we  enjoyed 
housekeeping  after  our  weeks  and  weeks  of  travel. 
By  discreetly  keeping  away  from  the  kitchen  and 
giving  as  few  orders  as  possible  to  the  cook,  the 
peace  of  the  household  was  undisturbed.  When 


96  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

obliged  to  speak  to  her,  I  made  known  my  wants  in 
a  meek  voice  and  beat  a  hasty  retreat. 

Some  of  those  officers  who  crossed  the  Plains  with 
us  remained  at  Fort  Union, — Chaplain  McPheeters 
and  family,  of  St.  Louis,  Captain  "Jack"  Lindsey 
(who  resigned  later  and  joined  the  Confederate  States 
army)  and  wife,  Dr.  Bartholow  and  family,  and 
several  others.  It  was  a  large  post,  with  many 
pleasant  people  whose  society  we  did  not  long  enjoy. 
We  had  reached  Fort  Union  in  September,  and  on 
the  22d  of  December  we  were  in  Santa  Fe,  en  route 
to  Fort  Craig,  New  Mexico. 

On  Christmas  Day,  1860,  we,  with  several  officers 
and  their  wives,  dined  in  Santa  Fe  with  Lieutenant 
Dabney  Maury  and  wife.  Some  months  later  he 
joined  the  Southern  army. 

The  possibility  of  war  between  North  and  South 
was  freely  discussed  at  table,  with  considerable  ex- 
citement, and  so  hotly  at  times  the  ladies  were  em- 
barrassed considerably.  There  were  advocates  for 
both  sides,  while  others  were  reticent  as  to  their 
sentiments.  We  had  so  little  fear  that  matters  would 
ever  terminate  seriously,  and  war  result,  that  we  soon 
forgot  the  unpleasant  episode.  But  those  fiercely 
expressed  opinions  and  angry  words  were  not  for- 
gotten by  all  who  were  present,  and  bore  fruit  later 
on ;  some  giving  up  everything,  believing  they  owed 
it  as  a  duty  to  their  native  States,  while  others  fought, 
bled,  and  died  for  the  old  flag,  but  that  was  long 
afterwards. 

We  left  Santa  Fe  in  a  driving  snow-storm.  The  day 
was  intensely  cold,  and  the  wind,  high  and  piercing, 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  97 

drove  the  sleet  and  snow  into  any  small  crevice  of 
the  ambulance  that  it  could  find  unguarded.  Fortu- 
nately we  were  not  going  far,  and  were  very  glad 
when  we  reached  our  resting-place  about  noon.  The 
house  was  kept  by  an  old  Frenchman  in  a  Mexican 
village  between  Santa  Fe  and  Albuquerque.  Our 
host  had  been  keeping  the  Christmas  season  and 
"  tasting  his  wares"  very  freely,  so  that  his  excessive 
politeness  was  troublesome,  coming  every  little  while 
to  our  room  to  know  what  he  could  do  for  us ;  other- 
wise we  were  very  comfortable,  and,  as  he  seemed  so 
happy  and  cheerful,  we  let  him  enjoy  himself. 

How  well  I  remember  the  sights,  sounds,  and 
odors  of  the  little  Mexican  towns !  The  ambulance 
driver  always  entered  one  at  full  speed,  cracking  his 
whip  and  urging  the  mules  to  do  their  best, — I  do 
not  know  why,  unless  to  impress  the  natives  with  the 
importance  of  the  coming  guests.  The  trotting  of 
the  horses  of  the  escort,  the  rattle  of  the  wagons, 
added  to  the  barking  of  every  dog  in  the  village, 
bleating  of  terrified  sheep  and  goats,  and  the  un- 
earthly bray  of  the  ill-used  burro  (donkey),  made  a 
tremendous  racket.  And  the  smells !  The  smoke 
from  the  fires  of  cedar  wood  would  have  been  as 
sweet  as  a  perfume  if  it  had  reached  us  in  its  purity ; 
but,  mixed  with  heavy  odors  from  sheep  and  goat 
corrals,  it  was  indescribable. 

I  never  get  a  whiff  of  burning  cedar,  even  now, 
that  the  whole  panorama  does  not  rise  up  before  me, 
and  it  is  with  a  thrill  of  pleasure  I  recall  the  past, 
scents  and  all. 


98  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


XVI 

WHEN  we  reached  the  Rio  Grande,  below  Albu- 
querque, to  cross,  we  found  much  ice  in  it,  some 
strong  enough  to  bear  our  light  buggy  in  which  I 
was  riding  with  husband,  and  we  went  over  safely, 
followed  by  the  ambulance.  The  children  were  with 
the  servants  in  the  comfortable  spring-wagon,  which, 
being  rather  heavy,  broke  through  the  ice  when  the 
middle  of  the  river  was  reached. 

There  it  stuck  fast,  and  in  trying  to  pull  it  out  one 
of  the  mules  fell  down  and  went  under  the  ice. 
Great  excitement  followed  this  catastrophe;  eveiy 
effort  was  made  to  save  the  mule,  but  he  could  not 
get  up,  and  at  last  the  traces  had  to  be  cut,  and  he 
was  drowned.  Husband  took  the  horse  out  of  the 
buggy,  mounted  him  bareback,  rode  out  to  the  dis- 
abled wagon,  and  brought  the  children  to  me,  one 
at  a  time.  The  escort,  seeing  the  mules  could  not 
move  the  wagon,  pulled  off  their  shoes  and  stockings, 
rolled  up  their  trousers,  and,  nothing  daunted  by  the 
icy  waters,  without  "  waiting  for  the  wagon,"  plunged 
in,  and,  literally  putting  their  shoulders  to  the  wheel, 
rolled  it  out  of  the  hole.  By  much  swearing,  whip- 
cracking,  and  loud  shouting,  the  three  remaining 
mules  were  made  to  do  their  duty  and  drag  the 
wagon  across  to  the  other  side  of  the  river. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  99 

Then  the  men  came  in  for  their  reward,  which  was 
evidently  received  with  much  satisfaction.  It  was 
drawn  from  a  keg,  but  this  time  it  was  stronger  than 
water. 

We  found  Mexican  towns  along  our  route  where 
we  could  stop  every  night.  The  senor  from  whom 
we  rented  rooms,  after  assuring  us  his  poor  house 
was  at  our  disposal,  that  he  was  highly  honored  by 
our  accepting  part  of  it,  etc.,  managed  to  get  full 
price  for  all  we  had  from  him.  We  used  our  own  mess- 
chest  (doing  our  own  cooking,  usually)  and  beds, 
only  needing  his  rooms  with  fireplaces  to  be  quite 
comfortable.  There  was  seldom  any  furniture  in  the 
room ;  the  dirt  floor  was  neatly  covered  by  a  woollen 
carpet  of  black  and  white  plaid,  made  by  the 
Mexicans,  which,  though  not  very  gay,  looked  tidy. 
This  carpeting  was  often  woven  in  a  most  erratic 
fashion,  and  no  two  breadths  were  alike,  but  the 
colors  were  the  same  throughout :  first  there  would 
come  a  yard,  perhaps,  of  nicely-woven  black  and 
white  check,  then  half  a  yard  with  stripes,  followed 
likely  by  a  yard  of  grayish-white  alone,  and  so  on 
all  over  the  room ;  but  as  long  as  the  floor  had  a 
covering,  we  did  not  object  to  the  eccentricity  dis- 
played in  the  weaving  of  it. 

Many  a  house  at  an  army  post  had  no  other 
carpet  than  that  made  by  Mexicans,  and  sometimes 
(but  not  often)  we  found  a  piece  woven  with  a  good 
deal  of  regularity.  When  soiled,  it  could  easily  be 
washed.  Around  the  walls  were  laid  wool  mattresses, 
neatly  folded  and  covered  with  gay  calico ;  these 
served  as  seats  for  the  Mexicans.  The  small,  narrow, 


IOO  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

wool-stuffed  pillows  were  there  also  covered  with 
red  or  pink  calico,  over  which  was  drawn  coarse  lace, 
like  a  case,  with  wide  lace  ruffles  on  the  ends. 

The  walls  of  the  rooms  were  a  brilliant  white, 
made  so  by  a  certain  kind  of  earth  which  under- 
went some  preparation  known  only  to  the  natives, 
I  suppose.  A  wash  was  then  made  of  it,  which 
was  applied  with  a  piece  of  sheepskin  with  the 
wool  on  it,  perhaps  because  it  was  cheaper  than  a 
brush. 

Women  did  the  whitewashing,  and  they  used  the 
same  material  for  beautifying  their  complexions. 

The  quaint  little  oval  fireplaces  were  my  delight, 
placed  as  they  frequently  were  in  the  most  incon- 
venient part  of  the  room,  just  behind  the  door,  per- 
haps, with  a  low  wall  built  out  between  them  to 
protect  the  fire  from  too  great  a  draft  when  the  door 
was  opened.  Sometimes  the  adobe  chimney,  which 
jutted  out  from  the  wall  of  the  room,  was  washed 
with  buff  color  and  looked  clean  and  pretty.  A  very 
rough  and  lumpy  shelf,  made  of  adobe,  projected 
above  the  fireplace,  and  served  as  a  mantel ;  but  I 
think  it  would  have  been  rather  unsafe  for  costly 
ornaments,  as  the  top  was  very  uneven. 

When  the  fireplaces  were  in  a  corner  of  the  room 
and  were  full  of  blazing  sticks  of  pine  or  cedar  wood 
standing  on  end, — not  crosswise,  as  we  put  them, — 
the  effect  was  beautiful. 

The  decorations  on  the  walls  were  unique,  consist- 
ing of  small,  cheap  looking-glasses  and  pictures  of 
the  commonest  description.  The  glasses  were  hung 
almost  at  the  top  of  the  wall,  in  a  slanting  position ; 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  IOI 

but  they  must  have  been  for  ornament  only,  it  being 
impossible  to  see  yourself  in  them. 

The  pictures  were  of  a  religious  character, — of  all 
the  saints  in  the  calendar, — horrible  to  see,  in  bright 
tin  frames.  We  seldom  saw  any  one  about  the 
houses  except  the  person  from  whom  we  hired  the 
rooms.  They  did  not  appear  to  be  at  all  curious 
about  us,  but  I  think  it  probable  we  were  watched 
by  many  a  pair  of  soft,  dark  eyes  when  utterly  un- 
conscious of  it. 

The  Mexican  houses  were  only  one  story,  built  of 
adobe,  with  flat,  dirt-covered  roofs,  the  ceilings  being 
of  pine  logs  with  the  bark  stripped  off,  mostly  un- 
painted. 

The  windows  were  few  and  far  between,  and,  as 
glass  was  expensive,  it  was  not  often  there  were  more 
than  four  small  panes  in  each  one.  Frequently  there 
was  no  glass  at  all,  the  frame  being  covered  with 
white  cotton  cloth ;  but  as  they  opened  onto  a  court- 
yard, where  there  was  nothing  to  see,  it  made  no 
difference,  the  front  of  the  house,  on  the  street,  being 
only  a  blank  wall  without  windows. 

On  the  outside  of  the  shanties  hung  great  strings 
of  red  peppers  to  dry,  and  many  a  big  yellow  pump- 
kin adorned  the  flat  dirt-roofs. 

It  was  a  rare  thing  to  find  a  roof  that  did  not  leak, 
and  it  was  not  unusual,  during  the  rainy  season,  to 
see  on  the  walls  of  the  rooms  long,  light-brown 
streaks  of  mud  from  the  house-top,  reminding  one 
of  a  huge  map  of  a  river  with  its  various  tributaries. 

When  we  reached  Fort  Craig,  on  the  4th  of  Janu- 
ary, the  same  quarters  were  assigned  to  Lieutenant 

9* 


IO2  /  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 

Lane  in  which  we  had  stayed  on  our  first  visit,  and 
where  we  found  such  a  superabundance  of  water. 
Dr.  Basil  Norris,  U.S.A.,  occupied  part  of  the  house, 
and  we  were  delighted  to  have  him  for  our  neighbor. 

As  the  winter  rolled  on  the  war-clouds  became 
darker,  and  many  a  serious  talk  we  had  with  the 
doctor  about  the  state  of  the  country  and  what  we 
would  do  in  that  far-off  land  in  case  of  a  crisis, — no 
railroads,  no  telegraph,  and  a  whole  month  between 
mails.  None  but  those  who  have  been  so  situated 
know  how  terribly  anxious  we  were.  But  we  tried 
to  believe  affairs  were  not  as  bad  as  they  were  repre- 
sented. 

On  the  6th  of  February,  1861,  we  were  again 
travelling, — "  the  lieutenant"  having  been  ordered  to 
Fort  Fillmore, — and  I  was  glad  to  go.  As  there 
were  some  small  settlements  not  far  from  the  post, 
we  would  not  feel  as  completely  buried  as  we  had 
been  at  Fort  Craig.  We  were  four  days  making  the 
distance,  eighty  miles  of  it  being  across  the  "  Jornado 
del  Muerto"  ("  Journey  of  Death"),  where  there  was 
then  no  water  to  be  found. 

Lieutenant  Joseph  Wheeler  was  travelling  with  us, 
having  been  assigned  to  Captain  W.  L.  Elliott's  com- 
pany, stationed  at  Fillmore.  Captain  Elliott  was  on 
leave  in  the  East. 

Colonel  Bomford  and  Captain  Ewell  were  also  of 
the  party.  The  latter  resigned  soon  after  and  joined 
the  Southern  Confederacy. 

Lieutenant  Wheeler  messed  with  us.  I  remember 
well  one  breakfast  on  the  road.  He  had  not  then 
travelled  enough  with  troops  to  know  the  necessity 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  103 

of  an  early  start  in  the  morning,  and  of  eating  rap- 
idly, that  things  might  be  cleared  away  and  packed 
in  good  time,  with  as  little  delay  as  possible. 

We  ate  our  breakfast  by  candle-light.  Lieutenant 
Wheeler  and  I  were  disposed  to  dawdle,  politely 
handing  each  other  the  various  delicacies  on  the 
table.  Lieutenant  Lane  finished  his  meal  in  frantic 
haste,  and  left  the  tent,  hoping  to  expedite  matters 
which  were  going  on  so  leisurely  within.  But 
Wheeler  did  not  notice  husband's  impatience,  and  it 
became  necessary,  at  last,  to  warn  us  we  must  not 
waste  time,  that  we  had  a  long  and  dangerous  drive 
before  us  that  day,  and  it  was  getting  late. 

That  noble  and  polite  gentleman  understood  later 
on  the  necessity  of  haste  when  a  march  of  many 
miles  was  to  be  made,  better  than  he  did  when  about 
to  cross  the  Jornado  del  Muerto  in  February,  1861. 

By  driving  far  off  the  road  water  could  be  found, 
and  about  noon  this  was  done.  There  was  no  path 
to  the  place,  but  the  country  was  not  rough  enough 
to  prevent  the  ambulance  and  wagons  going  to  it. 
As  we  followed  our  leader  we  almost  ran  over  the 
largest  snake  I  ever  saw  out  of  a  show.  He  was 
quietly  sunning  himself  and  took  no  notice  of  us. 
We  did  not  resent  his  indifference  to  our  approach. 


104  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


XVII 

HUSBAND  was  very  anxious  to  get  back  to  the  road 
as  quickly  as  possible,  and,  after  the  animals  were 
watered  and  would  drink  no  more,  we  started  to  re- 
turn, when  it  was  "discovered  that  Colonel  Bomford 
was  missing,  nor  could  he  be  found  anywhere  in  the 
vicinity.  It  was  absolutely  necessary  for  the  safety 
of  everybody  and  the  animals  to  travel  a  certain  dis- 
tance each  day,  in  a  country  where  there  was  no 
water,  so  that  his  absence  caused  great  uneasiness. 
It  was  a  very  dangerous  thing  for  one  man  to  leave 
his  companions  and  stray  away.  Possibly  he  was  so 
sure  of  his  own  strength  he  had  no  fears,  knowing 
he  was  equal  to  ten  Indians  at  least,  and  with  Sam- 
son's weapon,  the  jaw-bone  of  an  ass,  he  might  have 
routed  a  whole  tribe.  He  was  the  strongest  man  in 
the  army.  Late  in  the  evening  he  came  in  leisurely, 
apparently  quite  unconcerned  at  our  anxiety  on  his 
account.  He  had  been  quietly  wandering  around, 
amusing  himself  not  far  from  where  the  water  was 
found. 

Most  dreary  and  uninviting  did  Fort  Fillmore  look 
to  us  as  we  approached  it.  It  was  a  cold,  gray  day, 
with  a  high  wind  which  blew  the  loose  sand  and  dust 
in  clouds  all  about  us.  The  stiff  line  of  shabby  adobe 
quarters  on  three  sides  of  a  perfectly  bare  parade- 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  10$ 

ground  suggested  neither  beauty  nor  comfort,  and 
for  once  I  felt  discouraged  when  we  went  into  the 
forlorn  house  we  were  to  occupy. 

It  was  filthy,  too,  and  the  room  we  chose  for  a 
bedroom  must  have  been  used  as  a  kitchen.  The 
great  open  fireplace  had  at  least  a  foot  of  dirt  in  it, 
which  had  to  be  dug  out  with  a  spade  before  a  fire 
could  be  lighted.  It  took  time  to  make  the  quarters 
comfortable;  but  by  hard  scrubbing  and  sweeping 
they  at  last  looked  clean  and  habitable.  The  wood- 
work was  rough  and  unpainted ;  the  modern  method 
of  oiling  pine  was  not  known  in  army  quarters 
then. 

I  was  the  only  lady  at  the  post  except  the  wife  of 
the  sutler.  Lieutenant  Lane  and  Lieutenant  Wheeler, 
and  possibly  one  other  officer,  attended  to  all  the 
duties  of  the  garrison.  Lieutenant  Lane  was  in 
command. 

There  was  a  hospital,  but  no  doctor  nearer  than 
forty  miles,  for  whom  we  once  had  to  send ;  and  on 
another  occasion  the  doctor  at  a  fort  eighty  miles 
away  was  summoned ;  relays  of  mules  were  posted 
along  the  road  to  bring  him  in  as  rapidly  as  pos- 
sible. 

There  had  been  no  improvement  in  our  mail  facil- 
ities, and  a  month  was  still  required  to  get  letters 
from  the  East.  We  read  with  intense  interest  every- 
thing bearing  on  the  subject  of  secession  in  the 
papers,  which  were  a  month  old,  when  we  were  lucky 
enough  to  get  any. 

There  was  an  undercurrent  of  disquiet  around  us 
which  was  felt  more  than  seen  or  heard,  and  there 


IO6  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

were  plenty  of  men  in  the  small  towns,  ready  at  a 
moment's  notice,  in  case  war  was  declared,  to  make  a 
raid  on  Fort  Fillmore,  which,  with  its  small  garrison, 
could  offer  but  little  resistance. 

We  were  scarcely  settled  at  housekeeping  when 
an  order  came  for  all  the  troops  to  go  on  an  Indian 
scout  to  Dog  Canon.  There  was  nothing  to  be  done 
but  to  obey,  although  everybody  at  the  post  knew 
there  was  far  more  danger  from  Texans  than  from 
Indians. 

A  sergeant  and  ten  men,  all  that  could  be  spared 
from  the  little  command,  were  left  behind  to  guard 
the  post  and  our  small  family,  and  they  were  picked 
men.  Those  in  the  guard-house  were  taken  on  the 
scout.  /  was  left  in  command  of  Fort  Fillmore.  All 
public  funds  »were  turned  over  to  me,  and  the  sergeant 
reported  to  me  every  day.  He  slept  in  our  house 
at  night,  heavily  armed,  which  gave  us  a  sense  of 
security. 

There  was  a  flag-staff  on  the  parade,  but  no  flag. 
Husband  sent  to  Fort  Bliss  for  one  before  he  left 
for  Dog  Canon.  I  knew  I  would  feel  safer  to  see  it 
floating  above  us,  and  it  was  run  up  at  reveille  every 
morning  through  the  summer  before  the  post  was 
abandoned.  When  was  the  flag  ever  more  needed 
than  in  those  anxious  days  before  war  was  declared, 
to  cheer  the  weak-hearted  and  bid  defiance  to  its 
enemies  ? 

The  public  money  in  my  hands  gave  me  consider- 
able uneasiness,  and  I  hid  it  away  in  what  I  considered 
a  secure  place ;  then  it  seemed  to  me  that  would  be 
the  first  spot  searched,  and  I  found  a  safer  one.  I  was 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  IO/ 

determined  no  one  should  have  that  money  while  I 
was  alive  to  defend  it.  Just  how  I  would  act  circum- 
stances must  decide  ;  if  I  lost  my  life  in  protecting  it, 
I  would  have  done  my  whole  duty. 

The  state  of  affairs  at  Fillmore  and  the  surround- 
ing country  had  been  represented  at  Santa  Fe,  and 
the  folly  shown  of  sending  all  the  troops  away  from 
the  post,  after  an  imaginary  foe  likely,  when  right  in 
in  our  midst  was  a  real  danger  to  be  dreaded.  An 
express  was  sent  to  Dog  Canon  with  orders  to 
abandon  the  scout,  and,  to  my  great  joy,  the  soldiers 
returned,  when,  with  much  pleasure,  I  relinquished 
the  command  of  Fort  Fillmore.  It  was  my  first  and 
last  appearance  in  the  role  of  commanding  officer 
of  a  military  post. 

One  of  the  small  towns  not  far  from  Fort  Fillmore 
was  Mesilla,  which  we  sometimes  visited;  but  the 
Rio  Grande  was  between  us  and  the  village,  and  not 
always  in  a  good  condition  to  ford,  consequently 
we  did  not  go  very  often.  The  Rio  Grande  has 
of  late  years  cut  an  entirely  new  channel  for  itself, 
placing  Mesilla  on  the  east  bank,  while  in  1861  it 
was  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 

We  were  invited  by  some  friends  living  there  to 
see  a  bull-fight ;  and  we  went,  I  expecting  to  have 
my  blood  curdle  at  the  sight  of  streaming  gore  from 
matadore  or  bull,  and  to  enjoy  myself  greatly  .with 
the  horrors  of  the  scene !  But  I  never  saw  such  an  old, 
travel-stained  steer  tamer,  nor  one  more  unwilling  to 
fight ;  no  amount  of  red-rag  waving,  nor  prods  with 
iron-pointed  staff,  could  rouse  him  into  anything 
fiercer  than  a  weary  glance  at  his  tormentor.  I  soon 


108  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

tired  of  such  sport  (?)  as  that,  and  left.  I  never  went 
to  see  another  bull-fight. 

Towards  the  latter  part  of  the  winter  the  author- 
ities at  Santa  Fe  seemed  to  become  aware  that 
reinforcements  were  needed  at  Fillmore.  It  was  but 
forty  miles  from  Fort  Bliss,  Texas,  and  in  case  of 
trouble  the  handful  of  soldiers  stationed  there  could 
make  no  resistance  whatever.  Major  Gabriel  Paul 
was  sent  to  command  the  post,  and  of  course  chose 
our  quarters;  but  when  those  next  door  were 
cleaned  and  put  to  rights  they  were  as  good  as  the 
house  we  left,  and  as  we  had  little  furniture  to  move, 
it  was  not  much  trouble. 

The  garrison  was  reinforced  by  several  companies 
of  Fifth  and  Seventh  Infantry  and  Mounted  Rifles, 
with  their  officers.  Major  Paul  was  succeeded  by 
Major  Lynde  in  the  command  of  the  post.  Two 
doctors  were  sent  to  take  charge  of  the  hospital  and 
sick  people  generally, — Doctor  J.  C.  McKee  and 
Doctor  Alden.  It  was  a  relief  to  feel  we  need  not 
now  send  one  hundred  miles  or  so,  if  we  were  ill,  for 
a  doctor. 

We  were  turned  out  of  quarters  again  that  spring, 
but  not  by  a  ranking  officer.  One  very  warm  after- 
noon the  children  and  servants  were  playing  in  the 
yard,  while  we  were  reading  in  the  house.  Presently 
we  heard  a  great  commotion,  and  some  one  rushed 
in  to  tell  us  there  "  was  a  river  at  the  back  gate." 

Husband,  thinking  it  was  a  joke,  dressed  himself 
leisurely  and  went  out,  while  I  kept  on  reading.  In 
a  moment  he  was  back  to  say  an  immense  body  of 
water  was  then  in  the  yard  and  would  be  in  the  house 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  1 09 

in  a  few  moments.  There  was  no  time  to  be  lost  in 
adorning  myself,  so  in  dressing-sack  and  skirt  I  flew 
round,  and  with  the  help  of  the  servants  tore  up  our 
two  carpets,  picked  up  the  loose  things  off  the  floors, 
and  soon  had  all  articles  likely  to  be  injured  by  water 
out  of  the  way.  I  don't  know  how  we  did  so  much 
in  such  a  short  time.  "  The  lieutenant,"  armed  with 
a  spade,  was  hard  at  work  on  an  adobe  wall  in  the 
yard,  trying  to  break  a  hole  in  it,  to  let  the  water 
escape  on  to  the  parade.  I  ran  out  the  front  door 
and  beckoned  to  the  soldiers  who  were  seated  in  front 
of  their  quarters,  but  they  took  no  notice.  By  de- 
grees they  divined  something  was  wrong,  as  I  kept 
on  making  motions,  and  they  came  running  over  to 
see  what  I  wanted.  I  explained  the  situation,  and 
they  carried  out  the  furniture  as  fast  as  possible.  By 
the  time  the  men  arrived  I  was  wading  in  water  up  to 
my  knees,  all  over  the  house.  Everybody,  man, 
woman,  and  child,  turned  out  to  see  the  fun,  and  were 
amazed  to  see  the  stream  that  rushed  through  the 
house  and  out  the  door,  spreading  rapidly  over  the 
parade-ground. 

The  day  was  bright  and  beautiful,  with  not  a  cloud 
to  be  seen.  The  flood  was  supposed  to  have  come 
from  a  cloud-burst  in  the  Organ  Mountains,  miles 
away  to  the  east  of  us. 

The  water  came  booming  down  the  mountains, 
making  right  for  our  house ;  no  other  on  the  line  was 
disturbed.  Fortunately,  there  was  a  set  of  quarters 
next  us  vacant,  so  that  we  could  go  right  in ;  this 
made  our  second  move  and  third  house  at  Fort 
Fillmore. 

10 


IIO  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

The  quarters  were  not  as  good  as  others  we  had 
lived  in  at  the  post.  I  did  not  enjoy  the  presence 
of  a  poisonous  snake  in  the  bedroom,  nor  that  of  a 
bat  found  clinging  to  the  sheet  under  which  I  was 
sleeping.  I  hated  the  bat  worse  than  the  snake,  I 
believe.  They  frequently  made  us  hurried  visits ; 
there  were  hundreds  of  bats  in  those  old  adobe 
walls. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  1 1 1 


XVIII 

FIGHTING  had  begun  between  North  and  South, 
and  we  were  most  unpleasantly  situated.  There  were 
at  Fillmore  several  officers  and  their  families  with 
decided  Southern  sentiments.  One  of  the  officers 
quietly  retired  to  Texas,  leaving  his  family  to  follow 
as  best  they  could,  showing  how  implicitly  he  relied 
on  the  chivalry  of  his  old  companions-in-arms  to  take 
care  of  his  wife  and  children  until  they  were  able  to 
join  him.  We  knew  not  friend  from  foe. 

All  the  little  tittle-tattle  of  an  army  frontier  post  was 
treasured  up  and  reported  to  Santa  Fe.  Silly  things 
said  on  the  spur  of  the  moment  were  repeated  and 
magnified  into  something  important  long  after  the 
originator  had  forgotten  all  about  them.  I  remember 
on  the  Fourth  of  July,  1861,  quite  a  number  of  us 
were  singing  the  national  airs,  and  some  one  paid  a 
glowing  tribute  to  the  "  old  flag,"  when  a  sweet,  gentle 
Southern  woman  made  a  flippant  remark,  at  which 
we  were  all  indignant.  When  I  had  her  alone,  I  asked 
how  she  came  to  make  such  a  speech.  "  Oh,  just 
to  tease  Doctor  McKee,"  she  replied.  What  she  said 
was  reported  at  head-quarters.  Many  of  our  oldest 
and  truest  army  friends  resigned  and  went  South, 
several  of  them  passing  through  Fort  Fillmore  on 
their  way  out  of  New  Mexico.  Among  them  were 


112  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

General  Longstreet,  who  came  into  the  post  driving 
his  own  ambulance,  en  route  to  Texas ;  Cadmus  Wil- 
cox,  Colonel  W.  W.  Loring,  Lawrence  Baker,  Major 
Sibley,  and  others  whose  names  I  have  forgotten. 
Colonel  George  B.  Crittenden,  one  of  our  best  friends, 
also  went  down  to  Texas,  and  I  never  saw  him  again. 
Some  left  New  Mexico  via  Fort  Union,  crossing  the 
Plains  to  reach  "the  States."  Much  pressure  was 
brought  to  bear  on  Lieutenant  Joseph  Wheeler  by  his 
Southern  relations,  all  urging  him  to  resign.  Between 
his  desire  to  be  true  to  the  government  and  anxiety 
not  to  offend  his  nearest  and  dearest,  he  was  almost 
distracted,  but  he  yielded  at  last  to  the  importunities 
of  his  friends  and  left  the  United  States  army,  but  very 
reluctantly.  Very  few  soldiers  left  the  army,  while  in 
New  Mexico,  to  join  the  Southern  Confederacy. 

Of  course,  every  day  all  sorts  of  rumors  were 
brought  in  of  intended  attacks  on  the  post  by  Con- 
federates, and  caused  a  good  deal  of  uneasiness  among 
us  all.  The  commanding  officer,  Major  Lynde, 
seemed  utterly  oblivious  of  the  danger,  and  took  no 
means  to  strengthen  the  place,  nor  to  put  his  small 
force  where  it  would  be  most  efficient  in  case  the 
Texans  carried  out  their  plans  to  make  a  raid  on  the 
garrison.  Officers  loyal  to  the  United  States  grew 
restless  under  Lynde's  command ;  some  made  sugges- 
tions to  him  as  to  the  best  manner  of  protecting  the 
post,  but  to  all  he  turned  a  deaf  ear.  There  could 
not  have  been  a  better  man  in  command  to  help  the 
Southern  cause,  nor  a  worse  for  the  government,  than 
Major  Lynde. 

Several  alarms  had  been  given  of  the  advance  of 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  113 

Southern  troops  into  New  Mexico,  and  mounted 
parties  were  sent  out  to  investigate  and  intercept  them, 
when  Lynde  could  be  brought  to  see  any  danger  that 
might  result  should  the  reports  be  true. 

On  one  of  these  occasions  Lieutenant  Lane  com- 
manded the  troops,  and  I  quote  from  an  account  of 
the  affair  given  by  Doctor  McKee,  who  tells  it  more 
graphically  than  I  can  : 

"  Lane  was  a  hot-headed  Kentuckian"  (writes  the 
doctor)  "  who  had  his  own  way  of  being  loyal,  which 
did  not  suit  the  extremists ;  but  I  had  confidence  in 
his  determined  bravery  as  a  soldier  and  his  integrity 
as  a  man." 

The  scout  left  Fillmore  June  22,  and  went  down 
the  Rio  Grande  towards  El  Paso,  a  rumor  having 
been  brought  in  that  the  Texans  were  advancing 
four  hundred  strong.  First  Lieutenant  W.  B.  Lane 
was  in  command  of  the  United  States  troops,  and 
with  him  were  Second  Lieutenant  C.  H.  McNally 
and  Second  Lieutenant  E.  J.  Cressy,  Regiment 
Mounted  Rifles,  and  seventy  men.  The  doctor  says, 
"  He  (Lane)  ordered  his  officers  to  examine  the 
cylinders  of  each  man's  revolver,  to  see  that  they 
were  properly  loaded,  as  he  intended  to  make  it  a 
hand-to-hand  fight."  ..."  Unfortunately,  he  did  not 
meet  the  enemy" — so  the  doctor  thought — but  I  was 
quite  satisfied  that  they  did  not  find  "  the  enemy." 

Just  about  this  time  I  had  a  visit  from  old  Charles, 
who  had  once  belonged  to  Captain  Elliot,  and  who 
took  French  leave  while  at  Fort  Bliss.  His  master 
came  to  Fillmore  on  business,  and  brought  Charles 
with  him.  The  old  fellow  was  very  glad  to  see  us 
h  10* 


1 14  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

again,  and  he  and  I  discussed  the  war  seriously.  I 
asked  what  he  intended  to  do  when  the  Texans 
reached  Fort  Bliss  ?  "  Get  over  into  Mexico  as 
quickly  as  possible,"  was  his  answer.  "  And  leave 
old  Sallie  and  Patsy?"  (his  wife  and  daughter)  I 
asked.  "  Well,"  he  replied,  "  you  know  the  Good 
Book  tells  us  to  look  out  for  number  one."  I  was 
much  surprised  at  such  a  reading  of  the  "  Good 
Book,"  and  concluded,  if  he  could  so  distort  the 
meaning  to  suit  his  own  purposes,  the  Mormon 
woman  was  right  when  she  told  me  "  the  Bible,  like 
a  fiddle,  could  be  made  to  play  many  tunes."  I  had 
said  to  her  I  did  not  see  how  the  Mormons  based 
their  belief  and  religion  on  anything  found  in  the 
Bible,  and  the  above  was  her  reply. 

Late  in  June,  or  the  beginning  of  July,  the  post 
herd  was  stampeded,  but  by  whom  was  not  known. 
It  was  suspected  the  friends  of  the  Confederacy 
could  tell  a  good  deal  about  it.  The  stampede  dis- 
mounted one  or  all  the  companies  of  riflemen  at 
Fillmore,  and  made  them  foot-soldiers  for  the  time 
being.  Not  a  horse  was  left  in  the  company  Lieu- 
tenant Lane  commanded,  so  that  the  duties  of  the 
men  were  curtailed,  having  no  stable-call  to  attend. 

About  the  middle  of  July  it  was  decided  to  send 
some  of  the  surplus  commissary  stores  to  Fort  Craig, 
and  the  company  Lieutenant  Lane  commanded  was 
ordered  to  escort  the  wagon-train.  Doctor  McKee 
writes,  "  He  (Lane)  was  a  fighting  man,  and  had  to 
be  got  rid  of." 

Before  leaving  Fort  Fillmore  we  sent  all  our  fur- 
niture, china,  etc.,  to  Mesilla,  to  be  sold  at  auction, 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  11$ 

and,  strange  to  say,  realized  remarkably  good  prices 
for  everything.  We  were  more  fortunate  than  those 
friends  who  remained  at  Fillmore  and  lost  their  all 
later  on. 

On  the  24th  of  July,  1861,  we  left  for  Fort  Craig; 
our  escort  of  riflemen  was  distributed  among  the 
wagons,  as  there  were  no  horses  to  ride.  We 
had  travelled  but  a  short  distance  when  the  wagon- 
master  insisted  on  halting  to  rest  the  mules,  prepara- 
tory to  a  night  march  across  the  Jornado  del  Muerto, 
the  eighty  miles'  stretch  without  water.  Lieutenant 
Lane  thought  the  halt  so  early  in  the  day  entirely 
unnecessary,  but  agreed  to  it,  never  dreaming  the 
man  had  any  other  motive  than  the  one  given,  the 
good  of  the  animals.  After-events  seemed  to  prove 
he  was  playing  for  high  stakes,  but  he  lost,  that  time. 

While  resting  I  looked  over  the  peaceful  land- 
scape, and  remarked  that  it  seemed  impossible  there 
could  be  war  and  fighting  in  "  the  States,"  while  all 
here  was  so  serene  and  quiet.  Little  did  we  im- 
agine that  within  a  very  few  miles  of  us  was  a  large 
body  of  Texans,  seriously  considering  the  possibility 
of  capturing  the  train  with  which  we  were  travelling. 
It  was  filled  with  provisions,  of  which  they  stood 
sorely  in  need. 

After  resting  through  the  heat  of  the  day  we  broke 
camp  late  in  the  evening  and  started  out  on  the  Jor- 
nado, expecting  to  travel  until  about  nine  o'clock. 
It  was  a  beautiful  night,  clear,  and  bright  moonlight. 
Not  a  sound  broke  the  intense  stillness,  except  the 
slow,  steady  trot  of  the  mules  on  the  hard  road.  The 
children  and  servants  were  asleep  in  the  ambulance, 


Il6  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

while  we  kept  a  keen  lookout  for  danger  ahead,  and 
enjoyed  the  quiet  all  around  us. 

Suddenly  we  were  roused  by  the  noise  of  galloping 
horses  coming  from  behind  us,  and  in  a  few  moments 
several  men  rode  up  and  asked  for  "  Lieutenant  Lane." 
The  ambulance  was  stopped  at  once,  and  the  strangers 
hurriedly  told  their  story.  One  of  them  was  Doctor 
Steck,  an  Indian  agent  and  a  strong  Union  man, 
whom  we  had  known  in  Mesilla.  He  came  to  warn 
us  that  two  hundred  and  fifty  Texans  were  ready  with 
horses  saddled  to  leave  the  lower  country,  overtake 
us  that  night,  and  capture  our  train !  I  felt  as  if 
turned  to  stone,  and  did  not  speak  for  some  time. 
Then  I  asked,  "  What  are  we  to  do  ?"  "  Fight,"  an- 
swered "  the  lieutenant"  "  We  will  corral  the  wagons, 
use  the  sacks  of  flour  and  bacon  for  a  fortification, 
put  you,  the  children,  and  servants  inside,  and  do  our 
best  to  defend  ourselves " 

Imagine  my  feelings  !  The  whole  number  of  sol- 
diers and  teamsters  would  not  be  more  than  sixty 
men  all  told,  and  the  prospect  of  victory  for  our  side 
was  small.  I  said  nothing,  and  tried  to  feel  brave, 
but  I  did  not — very. 

We  had  heard  before  leaving  Fillmore  that  Captain 
Alfred  Gibbs,  Mounted  Rifles,  was  on  his  way  from 
Albuquerque  with  beef  cattle  for  that  post,  escorted 
by  his  company,  to  keep  off  Indians  or  Texans,  as 
the  case  might  be.  If  Gibbs  knew  of  our  predica- 
ment he  might  push  on  rapidly  and  meet  us  at  Point 
of  Rocks,  on  the  Jornado,  early  next  morning.  So 
it  was  decided  to  send  an  express  ahead  (a  man 
mounted  on  a  horse)  to  meet  him,  and  let  him  know 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

what  Doctor  Steck  had  reported  to  Lieutenant  Lane, 
and  in  case  we  did  not  arrive  at  the  designated  place 
at  a  certain  hour,  he  was  to  come  to  our  assistance 
with  all  possible  haste.  I  felt  somewhat  better  after 
the  note  to  Gibbs  was  written — on  the  fly-leaf  of  a 
book,  by  the  light  of  a  lantern — and  despatched,  but 
none  too  cheerful,  I  can  tell  you. 

Lieutenant  Lane  ordered  the  wagon-master  to 
travel  as  far  and  rapidly  as  possible  that  night.  On 
we  went,  counting  every  mile  between  us  and  our 
supposed  pursuers  as  so  much  gained.  The  moon 
still  shone  brightly  on  our  swiftly-moving  train,  and 
lit  up  the  desert  for  miles  in  every  direction,  but  not 
a  living  thing  could  be  seen. 


Il8  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


XIX 

ABOUT  one  A.M.  the  report  was  brought  to  Lieu- 
tenant Lane  that  the  mules  were  giving  out,  so  we 
halted  and  camped  just  where  we  were,  beside  the 
road. 

No  sign  of  the  enemy  yet,  and  I  began  to  breathe 
again  and  took  some  rest.  As  soon  as  the  animals 
were  refreshed  and  had  grazed  a  little, — there  was  no 
water  for  them, — they  were  harnessed  up,  and  we  were 
off,  hoping  soon  to  meet  Gibbs.  When  a  cloud  of 
dust  in  the  distance  heralded  his  approach,  I  was 
greatly  relieved ;  and  as  help  was  in  front  and  no  sign 
of  an  enemy  in  the  rear,  I  began  to  feel  bold,  and 
tried  to  convince  myself  I  was  not  so  very  badly 
frightened  after  all,  but  I  think  any  woman  under  the 
circumstances  would  have  been  quite  as  much  alarmed 
as  I  was.  I  could  not  run  away,  lest  I  should  meet 
a  foe  far  worse  than  the  Texans.  The  Indians  were 
always  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood,  so  that  it 
would  have  been  safer  to  stay  where  we  were  than  to 
fall  into  their  clutches. 

Lieutenant  Lane  tried  to  induce  Captain  Gibbs  not 
to  go  on  to  Fillmore,  but  he  decided  to  obey  orders, 
taking  a  roundabout  way  to  reach  the  post,  and  so 
avoid,  he  hoped,  the  expected  enemy.  That  some- 
thing had  happened  to  prevent  the  intended  attack  on 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  lig 

the  wagons  was  evident,  for,  had  the  Texans  started 
at  the  time  set,  they  could  have  overtaken  us  hours 
before  we  met  Captain  Gibbs,  and  we  heard  how  it 
was  some  days  later. 

Suspicion  fell  on  the  wagon-master  for  detaining 
us.  It  was  thought  that  he  knew  of  the  proposed 
capture  of  the  train,  and  had  delayed  it  on  that 
account,  that  we  should  not  get  too  far  away  to  be 
caught.  I  do  not  know  that  the  charges  were  ever 
proved,  but  appearances  were  strongly  against  him. 
We  continued  on  to  Fort  Craig  without  accident  or 
hinderance,  to  my  great  joy.  Doctor  Steck  and  those 
who  left  Mesilla  with  him  hurried  through  to 
Santa  Fe. 

One  morning,  a  few  days  after  our  arrival,  we  were 
startled  by  the  appearance  of  a  sergeant  and  two 
soldiers  of  the  Rifles,  whom  we  had  left  at  Fort 
Fillmore.  They  had  escaped  capture,  and  made  their 
way  to  Fort  Craig,  coming  immediately  to  report  to 
Lieutenant  Lane,  and  from  them  we  learned  what 
took  place  after  our  departure. 

What  they  told  us  of  the  fight  at  Mesilla,  Major 
Lynde's  disgraceful  retreat  from  Fort  Fillmore  to- 
wards Fort  Stanton,  the  capture  and  surrender  of 
his  whole  command  to  the  Texans,  has  passed  into 
history ;  but,  later,  I  will  quote  a  little  from  Doctor 
McKee  on  the  subject. 

We  also  learned  that  the  talked-of  raid  on  the 
wagon-train,  news  of  which  was  brought  by  Doctor 
Steck,  was  no  idle  rumor.  It  was  well  planned,  and 
everything  ready,  when  some  Southern  men  whom 
we  knew  well,  and  with  whom  we  had  been  friendly, 


I2O  /  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 

implored  those  in  command  not  to  attempt  it,  "  for 
God's  sake;  that  there  were  women  and  children 
with  the  train !"  So  we  were  unmolested,  and  the 
Texans  turned  their  attentions  to  the  troops  at  Fort 
Fillmore. 

Possibly  the  vicinity  of  the  veterans  at  that  post 
had  more  to  do  with  the  abandonment  of  the  raid 
than  any  feelings  of  humanity  there  may  have  been 
for  a  handful  of  women  and  children. 

I  was  writing  home  on  the  day  we  heard  all  the 
news  from  Fort  Fillmore,  and  when  my  letter  reached 
Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  a  month  later,  Colonel  Andrew 
Porter,  Mounted  Rifles,  was  there.  He  was  given 
the  contents  of  it,  and  he  telegraphed  the  news  of 
Lynde's  surrender  to  Washington,  which  was  the 
first  intimation  they  had  at  the  War  Department  of 
what  had  taken  place  in  New  Mexico. 

To  quote  from  Doctor  McKee's  pamphlet,  quite 
a  large  body  of  Confederates  came  up  from  Fort 
Bliss  on  the  24th  of  July,  the  day  we  left  Fillmore, 
and  it  was  some  of  these  troops  who  were  to  attack 
the  train  of  wagons. 

Doctor  McKee  says,  "  On  the  night  of  the  24th 
of  July,  the  garrison,  men,  women,  and  children,  slept 
peacefully,  with  no  more  than  the  customary  sen- 
tinels in  time  of  peace,  no  pickets  out  in  any  direction, 
no  precautions  whatever  taken  to  prevent  surprise 
from  the  approaching  enemy.  Everybody  seemed 
inert  and  paralyzed ;  yet  they  were  all  brave  men, 
and  would  have  done  their  duty,  had  they  had  a 
competent  commander. 

"The   Texans,   under   command    of   Lieutenant- 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  121 

Colonel  Baylor,  to  the  number  of  four  hundred  men, 
.  .  .  were  quietly  encamped  within  six  hundred 
yards  of  the  fort,  intending  to  surprise  us  at  daylight 
on  the  morning  of  the  twenty-fifth,  kill  or  capture 
the  officers  in  their  quarters,  and  then  take  the  men 
prisoners  in  their  barracks.  Luckily  for  us,  one  of 
the  Confederate  pickets,  composed  of  two  old  dis- 
charged soldiers,  came  in  and  alarmed  the  garrison, 
otherwise  their  success  would  have  been  complete, 
as  they  intended  storming  the  place  at  break  of  day. 
Drums  beat  the  long  roll,  the  command  turned  out, 
and  we  were  saved  for  the  time." 

The  Texans  crossed  the  Rio  Grande  and  went  into 
Mesilla,  where  they  found  many  friends.  The  com- 
mand at  Fillmore  was  ordered  out,  and  only  a  guard 
left  for  protection.  There  were  between  four  and 
five  hundred  United  States  troops  in  all,  who  marched 
to  Mesilla  July  25,  hoping  to  attack  the  enemy,  but 
no  attack  was  made.  The  adjutant,  in  the  name  of 
the  commanding  officer  of  the  United  States  troops, 
demanded  "  an  unconditional  surrender  of  the  forces 
and  the  town."  The  answer  was,  "  If  he  wished  the 
town,  to  come  and  take -it."  A  few  shots  were  fired 
by  the  Texans,  which  killed  and  wounded  some  of 
our  soldiers.  Then  Major  Lynde  ordered  a  retreat, 
and  Doctor  McKee  says,  "  Had  any  of  the  senior 
officers  present  at  this  time  stepped  forward,  put 
Lynde  in  arrest,  and  taken  command,  his  fortune 
would  have  been  made." 

The  United  States  troops  returned  to  Fort  Fillmore 
at  ten  P.M.,  July  25,  crestfallen  and  indignant  at  the 
part  they  were  forced  to  play. 

F  IX 


122  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

On  the  26th  Major  Lynde  ordered  a  great  deal  of 
public  property  destroyed,  which  was  done,  prepara- 
tory to  a  hasty  retreat  in  the  direction  of  Fort  Stan- 
ton,  New  Mexico.  The  officers  and  families  lost 
everything  they  owned,  as  they  could  not  take  their 
property  with  them,  beyond  a  change  of  clothes. 
The  Mexicans  in  the  neighborhood  reaped  a  harvest 
after  the  soldiers  left  the  post  that  night.  The  Texans 
followed  up  the  troops,  and  on  the  27th  the  whole 
command  was  surrendered,  notwithstanding  the  pro- 
tests of  the  officers.  No  one  seemed  bold  enough  to 
place  Lynde  in  arrest  and  take  command.  The  doc- 
tor says,  "  Blind,  unreasonable  obedience  to  orders 
(creditable  always  in  a  well-disciplined  force)  was  the 
ruin  of  our  command." 

On  July  28  the  Texans  with  their  prisoners  of 
war  marched  to  Las  Cruces  and  encamped.  Later 
they  were  all  paroled  and  ordered  to  Fort  Union,  New 
Mexico,  preparatory  to  leaving  for  Fort  Leavenworth, 
Kansas. 

Captain  Gibbs  and  his  company,  in  making  a  de- 
tour, fell  in  with  the  Texans  and  were  surrendered 
with  the  other  troops.  It  seemed  hard  that  while 
obeying  orders  he  should  have  been  so  unfortunate. 
We  were  truly  thankful  to  have  escaped  from  Fill- 
more  before  these  events  took  place,  and  distressed 
that  our  many  friends  there  had  suffered  such  humil- 
iation. Some  of  the  officers  and  men  later  on  had  op- 
portunities to  show  of  what  stuff  they  were  made,  and 
to  prove  their  loyalty  to  the  government,  righting  with 
desperation  born  of  their  sufferings,  brought  about 
by  their  ignominious  surrender  so  early  in  the  war. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  123 

Major  Lynde  was  tried  and  dismissed  from  the 
army;  but  after  the  war  he  was  reinstated  and 
placed  on  the  "  retired  list."  It  never  was  proved,  I 
believe,  that  he  sympathized  with  the  South,  as  many 
were  inclined  to  think.  He  seemed  utterly  incompe- 
tent and  unfitted  for  his  important  command,  and  it 
was  freely  discussed,  after  it  was  too  late,  that  he  was 
not  the  man  for  the  place. 

Fort  Craig  was  not  considered  safe  just  then  for 
women  and  children,  and  we  remained  but  a  short 
time.  Our  two  colored  women-servants  behaved  re- 
markably well  all  through  our  exciting  march  from 
Fort  Fillmore  to  Fort  Craig,  never  showing  the  least 
fear  nor  anxiety,  nor  giving  trouble,  and  were  a  great 
comfort  to  us. 

"  The  lieutenant"  escorted  us  to  Santa  Fe,  where 
General  and  Mrs.  Canby  gave  me  rooms  in  their 
quarters,  and  had  a  general  supervision  over  us  after 
Lieutenant  Lane  left  to  return  to  his  company,  still 
stationed  at  Fort  Craig. 

An  incident  happened  while  we  were  in  Santa  Fe 
which  had  a  curious  ending.  One  of  the  children 
had  been  presented,  at  Fort  Bliss,  with  a  handsome 
silver  mug  which  had  been  made  in  Mexico.  She 
was  one  day  playing  with  it  in  front  of  the  house, 
buried  it  in  the  sand,  and  left  it  there,  I  not  knowing 
anything  about  it  until  next  day.  Of  course  it  was 
not  to  be  found.  Notices  were  posted  over  town, 
and  an  advertisement  put  in  the  one  newspaper,  all 
to  no  purpose.  We  never  expected  to  see  it  again. 
But  nineteen  years  afterwards,  in  Washington,  D.C., 
the  cup  was  brought  to  me  by  a  young  woman,  who 


124  7  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

told  me  her  father  had  taken  it  from  a  Mexican  in 
Santa  Fe,  supposing  it  had  been  stolen.  He  put  it 
away  and  had  often  intended  to  send  it  to  us  (the 
name  was  on  it),  but  never  did  until  nineteen  years 
had  passed.  The  story  was  rather  lame,  but  we  ex- 
cused it,  as  we  got  the  cup,  which  we  had  given  up 
as  lost. 

Since  that  time,  1861,  Santa  Fe  has  undergone 
many  changes ;  there  was  not  then  a  two-story  house 
in  the  town,  or  even  thought  of.  The  cathedral,  the 
original  one,  was  still  used,  and,  as  we  lived  just  op- 
posite, we  had  much  amusement  watching  the  large 
congregation  going  to  and  coming  from  mass  and 
vespers.  There  were  no  seats  nor  pews  in  the  church, 
except  possibly  some  chairs,  provided  for  their  own 
use  by  the  few  Americans  who  were  Roman  Catho- 
lics. The  Mexicans  knelt  or  sat  on  the  hard,  cold 
floor  of  tiles  or  brick  during  the  entire  service. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  12$ 


XX 

THE  Mexican  women  still  wore  the  national  dress, 
which  suited  them  much  better  than  the  half-Amer- 
ican and  wholly  bad  style  recently  adopted  by  them. 
Many  of  the  fancifully  adorned  sefioritas  walked  to 
church  in  satin  slippers,  frequently  dispensing  with 
stockings  altogether,  which  was  not  a  bad  arrange- 
ment, perhaps ;  for,  if  the  beauty  of  her  dainty  shoes 
was  endangered  by  the  ankle-deep  dust  in  the  streets, 
she  could  easily  take  them  off  and  go  barefooted 
without  exciting  comment  from  the  passers-by,  but 
dust  more  or  less  did  not  seem  to  trouble  them. 

When  the  bells  rang  out  on  Sunday,  announcing 
the  end  of  morning  service,  circus  wagons  filled  with 
a  band  and  the  actors  were  sure  to  pass  the  church, 
as  a  reminder  of  the  performance  to  take  place  later 
in  the  day,  and  which  part  of  the  congregation  was 
certain  to  attend  between  mass  and  vespers. 

The  yard  around  the  cathedral  had  been  used  as 
a  cemetery  for  two  hundred  years,  and  was  more  than 
full.  Often,  in  digging  a  grave,  a  human  skull  or 
bone  was  thrown  out,  but  it  caused  little  excitement, 
happening-  so  frequently. 

At  a  child's  funeral  a  band  headed  the  procession, 
playing  the  gayest  music.  I  asked  why  only  chil- 
dren's funerals  were  attended  by  a  band  ?  "  Because," 

ii* 


126  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

said  my  informant,  "when  a  child  dies  we  rejoice 
that  it  has  escaped  so  much  sorrow  and  has  surely 

gone  to  heaven,  while  with  older  people "  a  very 

suggestive  shrug  just  here  intimated  in  that  case  the 
matter  was  doubtful,  and  that  rejoicing  might  be 
somewhat  out  of  place. 

I  saw  a  funeral  once  at  Las  Cruces,  New  Mexico ; 
the  priest  with  his  book  headed  the  procession,  and 
there  were  several  men  playing  violins.  The  rear 
was  brought  up  by  friends  who  fired  their  revolvers 
occasionally,  "to  drive  the  devil  away,"  they  ex- 
plained. I  suppose  nowadays,  with  the  influx  of 
an  American  population,  all  this  is  changed,  and  the 
Mexicans  bury  their  dead  in  true  regulation  style. 

I  was  told  in  Santa  Fe  that  a  coffin  was  seldom  put 
into  a  grave ;  that  the  body  was  carried  to  the  church 
in  one,  but  before  burial  was  removed,  rolled  in  an 
old  blanket,  and  consigned  to  the  tomb.  The  reason 
was,  coffins  were  too  expensive  and  scarce  for  poor 
people,  and  were  looked  upon  as  a  luxury  far  beyond 
their  means,  so  that  one  was  only  used  for  show. 
Speaking  of  the  difficulty  of  procuring  a  coffin  re- 
minds me  that  at  a  frontier  post  it  was  often  impos- 
sible to  get  enough  new  lumber  to  make  one,  when 
there  was  a  death  among  officers  or  soldiers,  and  old 
packing-boxes  had  to  be  brought  into  requisition. 
An  officer  died  at  a  post  in  Texas,  and  nothing  could 
be  found  for  a  coffin  but  some  old  commissary-boxes, 
which  were  hastily  put  together,  and  the  poor  fellow 
was  carried  to  his  last  resting-place  in  a  very  rough 
one,  on  which  was  marked,  in  great  black  letters, 
"  200  Ibs.  bacon  !" 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  I2/ 

Indians  were  to  be  met  with  in  the  streets  of  Santa 
Fe  constantly,  both  Pueblos  and  Navajos,  who  went 
there  to  trade.  I  found  a  Navajo  chief  one  day  with 
a  little  basket  for  sale,  which  I  was  anxious  to  buy, 
offering  him  money  for  it,  but  he  would  not  take  it. 
He  wanted  beads,  and  I  bought  him  some,  with  which 
he  was  delighted,  and  I  got  my  basket,  which  I  have 
used  constantly  ever  since. 

Early  in  the  fall  it  was  decided  to  send  the  paroled 
troops  from  Fort  Union  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas ; 
and  husband,  who  was  again  ordered  from  Fort  Craig 
to  Union,  thought  I,  with  the  children  and  servants, 
had  better  join  them.  Matters  in  New  Mexico 
being  in  a  very  unsettled  state  just  then,  women  and 
children  were  in  the  way,  so  we  left  for  the  East  with 
the  officers  and  families  going  in.  "  Captain  Lane," 
it  was  then,  travelled  with  us  several  days  to  get  us 
well  started  on  what  was  to  be  my  fourth  trip  across 
the  Plains.  As  it  would  be  cold  before  we  reached 
Leavenworth,  he  had  a  small  stove  put  into  the  spring 
wagon,  which  had  been  comfortably  fitted  up  for  our 
use,  and  in  which  we  were  to  travel. 

Our  ambulance  had  been  sold  to  good  advantage 
before  we  left  Fillmore,  and  the  wagon,  being  roomy, 
answered  very  well.  In  addition  to  the  one  used 
as  an  ambulance,  we  had  a  government  wagon  for 
baggage  and  tents,  of  which  we  had  two, — one  for 
ourselves  and  the  other  for  the  servants,  used  also 
for  a  cook  tent. 

Husband  travelled  with  us  as  long  as  he  could  be 
away  from  his  post,  when  he  put  us  under  the  care 
of  Captain  Joseph  Potter,  who  had  been  with  us  at 


128  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

Fillmore,  and  went  back  to  Union.  Time  rolled  on 
as  monotonously  as  usual,  one  day  so  much  like 
another  we  hardly  knew  when  the  weeks  began  or 
ended. 

As  we  were  travelling  east,  the  Spanish  Peaks  were 
behind  us,  and  now  our  anxiety  was  to  have  them 
disappear.  It  was  with  a  feeling  of  relief  we  looked 
back  to  find  them  no  longer  visible ;  it  seemed  as  if 
we  were  really  making  headway  when  the  last  vestige 
of  their  blue  summits,  touched  here  and  there  with 
snow,  had  vanished  below  the  horizon,  and  the 
familiar  landmark  was  gone ! 

I  never  expected  then  to  see  the  Peaks  again,  but 
they  have  loomed  up  before  me  in  all  their  majestic 
beauty  several  times  since  those  memorable  days,  but 
always  from  the  window  of  a  Pullman  sleeper. 

I  never  saw  men  sadder  nor  more  disheartened 
than  the  officers  of  the  Fifth  and  Seventh  Infantry 
with  whom  I  crossed  the  Plains  in  1861.  Some  of 
them  saved  their  ambulances  when  they  left  Foit 
Fillmore,  so  that  their  families  were  comfortable  so 
far;  but  they  had  not  been  able  to  carry  away 
more  than  a  change  of  clothes,  and  were  in  a  sorry 
plight. 

Major  Lynde  and  his  wife  were  with  the  paroled 
troops,  but  had  no  intercourse  with  the  officers  and 
their  families. 

By  the  middle  of  October  the  nights  in  camp  were 
very  cold,  and  it  was  far  from  pleasant  rising  at  day- 
break, and  even  before,  breakfasting  by  candle-light, 
and  being  miles  on  the  road  by  sun-up.  As  we  ap- 
proached the  end  of  our  march  (there  were  still  two 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  12$ 

weeks  more  of  it  before  we  could  reach  Leaven- 
worth),  I  began  to  wonder  how  I  could  dispose  of 
my  wagon  and  camp  equipage  when  done  with  them. 
The  problem  was  solved  for  me,  almost  as  soon  as  I 
began  to  think  of  it,  in  a  disagreeable  and  unexpected 
manner.  I  will  tell  you  about  it. 

We  were  travelling  slowly  as  usual  one  day,  in  a 
perfect  gale  of  wind,  a  Kansas  wind,  which  whirled 
the  light  dust  in  every  direction  and  almost  blinded 
us.  It  was  cold,  too,  and  we  longed  to  get  under  the 
tents,  that  we  might  be  protected  from  the  chilly 
blasts  and  rolling  clouds  of  dust. 

When  the  camp  was  selected,  we  found  it  was  on 
a  high  bluff  overlooking  a  creek.  The  grass  was 
very  tall,  dry  as  powder,  and  quite  as  inflammable, 
so  much  so  that  I  was  alarmed  at  the  thought  of 
lighting  fires  near  it,  and  so  informed  Captain  Potter, 
who  came  up  to  choose  a  place  for  our  tents.  He 
allayed  my  fears  by  telling  me  that  even  should  a 
fire  start  we  would  be  entirely  out  of  its  way,  and  I 
supposed  he  knew  whereof  he  spoke. 

The  tents  were  pitched,  and  everything  required 
for  the  night  was  put  into  them,  beds  made,  etc.  I 
had  just  gone  into  mine,  when  I  heard  an  unusual 
noise,  and  I  went  to  the  door  to  see  what  caused  it. 
Will  I  ever  forget  the  scene  before  me  ?  The  grass 
was  on  fire,  and  the  flames,  driven  by  the  wind, 
leaped  a  hundred  feet  at  a  time !  It  was  a  fearful 
sight.  I  knew  instantly  our  only  safety  was  in 
flight,  and  not  a  second  must  be  wasted.  ^  As  I  left 
the  tent,  I  seized  such  of  the  bedclothes  as  I  could 
reach,  and  threw  them  outside ;  took  one  child  in  my 
i 


I3O  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

arms,  and  the  other  by  the  hand.  The  servants  fol- 
lowed, and  by  this  time  every  woman  and  child  in 
the  camp  had  joined  us.  We  fled  down  the  side  of 
the  hill  and  into  the  water,  which  was  nearly  knee- 
deep,  the  poor  little  children  bravely  struggling 
beside  us, — those  that  could  walk, — then  up  the 
opposite  bank,  never  looking  back  until  we  had  the 
water  between  us  and  the  fire.  All  the  officers  and 
soldiers  ran  as  soon  as  it  started,  to  try  to  beat  it  out 
with  blankets,  and  even  their  coats,  but  that  was  im- 
possible. 

The  light,  blazing  grass  was  carried  in  every 
direction  by  the  high  wind,  and  nothing  could  be 
done  to  check  the  fury  of  the  flames.  As  we  dumbly 
watched  the  scene,  great  burning  weeds  leaped  across 
the  creek,  so  close  to  where  we  stood  that  we  were 
bewildered  by  our  dangerous  position. 

The  officers,  finding  all  their  efforts  to  control  the 
now  wide-spread  conflagration  were  thrown  away, 
and  seeing  how  helpless  we  were,  came  to  our  rescue 
at  once.  They  guided  us  down  the  hill  to  the  road 
where  it  crossed  the  creek,  and  we  waited  there  until 
it  was  safe  to  return  to  camp,  or  what  was  left  of  it. 
There  were  but  few  of  the  officers'  tents  left,  and,  if 
it  had  been  planned  to  burn  ours,  the  purpose  could 
not  have  been  better  carried  out.  The  fire  came 
straight  towards  them,  and  nothing  was  left  in  our 
pretty  camp  but  one  big  wagon  and  the  running- 
gear  of  the  ambulance. 

Only  the  irons  that  had  been  on  the  ends  of  the 
poles  were  to  be  seen  of  our  tents.  Beds,  table, 
chairs,  mess-chest,  everything  we  had  for  camping 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  13! 

was  gone.  All  our  warm  wraps,  shawls,  furs,  etc., 
not  in  daily  use  and  put  into  the  tent  at  night,  were 
carried  in  the  ambulance  for  convenience,  besides 
various  articles  of  clothing  for  the  children,  new 
shoes,  etc.  All  shared  the  same  fate ;  not  a  vestige 
was  left  of  any  of  them  but  a  pile  of  ashes,  which 
was  soon  scattered  broadcast  by  the  tempest.  Deso- 
lation was  on  every  side;  the  whole  country  was 
black  with  the  remains  of  the  burned  grass. 

The  fire  started  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  camp 
from  where  our  tents  stood.  A  soldier  cooking  for 
an  officer's  family,  wanting  to  get  rid  of  the  tall 
weeds,  stuck  a  lighted  match  into  them,  and  in  a 
second  everything  in  the  vicinity  was  ablaze;  our 
friends  lost  nothing,  the  wind  blowing,  away  from 
them,  but  the  flames  swallowed  up  everything  in 
their  path.  Fortunately,  the  commissary  train  was 
out  of  the  way  and  escaped  the  destruction  which 
fell  so  heavily  on  some  of  us,  not  half  as  well  able 
to  bear  it  as  Uncle  Sam. 

When  I  left  my  tent  so  rapidly  at  the  first  alarm,  I 
forgot  entirely  the  small  trunk,  which  was  put  into  it 
always  as  soon  as  we  reached  camp.  I  carried  in  it 
all  the  money  I  had,  which  was  precious  little,  and 
other  valuables. 

While  I  was  sadly  contemplating  the  ruin  around 
us,  I  suddenly  discovered  my  box  right  beside  me, 
and  on  top  of  it  the  blankets  and  pillows  were  piled 
which  I  had  seized  and  thrown  out  of  the  tent. 
NerT,  our  faithful  man  and  a  discharged  bugler  who 
stayed  about  the  wagons,  was  more  thoughtful  than 
I,  and  when  I  left  he  gathered  up  what  he  could  and 


132  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

carried  all  to  a  place  of  safety  until  the  fire  had  ex- 
hausted itself.  When  Captain  Lane  was  about  to 
leave  us  and  return  to  Fort  Union  he  told  Neff,  the  last 
thing,  to  keep  an  eye  on  that  trunk,  no  matter  what 
happened,  and  the  good  soul  obeyed  orders  strictly. 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  133 


XXI 

THE  outlook  for  comfort  during  the  next  two  or 
three  weeks  was  anything  but  cheering.  It  was  more 
serious  than  amusing  to  be  left  without  wraps  or  warm 
clothing  at  that  season  of  the  year.  The  trunks  in 
the  wagon  were  not  injured,  but  there  was  nothing 
in  them  suitable  for  camping.  I  found  a  fancy  woollen 
hood  for  myself  packed  away,  and,  as  all  my  hats  and 
bonnets  were  burned,  I  was  glad  to  have  it.  A  new 
blue  flannel  blouse,  such  as  the  soldiers  wore,  was 
given  to  me,  and  a  friend  gave  one  of  the  children  an 
overcoat,  too  small  for  her  boy,  which  answered  very 
well.  Our  supply  of  bedclothes  was  very  small.  I 
had  only  succeeded  in  saving  two  blankets  and  a  pair 
of  pillows.  Two  sheepskins  were  also  snatched  as 
brands  from  the  burning,  and  played  a  conspicuous 
part  in  the  making  of  our  bed  for  some  weeks.  I 
do  not  remember  now  where  we  found  blankets  for 
the  servants ;  perhaps  from  the  quartermaster,  who, 
as  a  rule,  is  none  too  generous  with  his  goods  and 
chattels. 

I  had  no  time  to  wonder  where  a  tent  for  us  was 
to  come  from :  the  bachelor  officers  gave  up  their 
"  Sibley"  at  once  for  our  use,  while  they,  generous 
fellows,  stowed  themselves  away  in  one  hardly  large 
enough  for  three  men,  and  there  were  six  or  seven 
of  them  to  be  accommodated.  Among  them  were 


134  7  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 

Captain  Joseph  Potter,  Lieutenant  F.  J.  Crilly,  Lieu- 
tenants Hancock  and  Ryan  (both  killed  in  the  late 
war),  and  Doctor  B.  J.  D.  Irwin. 

How  we  were  to  travel  for  the  next  few  weeks  was 
a  question.  Our  spring-wagon  had  gone  up  in  smoke, 
and  those  who  had  ambulances  had  plenty  to  fill  them, 
Nothing  could  be  found  but  one  of  the  great  big  ten- 
mule  wagons,  used  for  hauling  commissary  stores  or 
corn.  The  load  was  taken  out,  except  a  few  sacks 
of  grain,  which  were  left  to  serve  as  seats.  I  must 
say  I  have  ridden  on  softer  ones. 

Many  of  the  ladies  and  children  had  all  the  clothes 
they  owned  destroyed  by  the  fire,  and  it  was  no  easy 
matter  to  supply  their  wants  from  the  depleted  ward- 
robes of  those  who,  although  not  quite  destitute,  had 
lost  much,  but  we  all  gave  something. 

After  the  destruction  of  our  camping  "outfit," 
having  no  table  nor  chairs,  our  meals  were  served 
upon,  not  the  green,  but  the  brown  sward ;  it  was  too 
late  in  the  year  for  green  grass.  To  eat  them  we 
were  obliged  to  sit  on  the  ground,  pleasant  enough 
on  a  hot  day  in  the  country  for  one  meal,  but  by  no 
means  agreeable  for  a  constancy  in  cold  weather.  I 
think  I  had  too  much  of  it,  for  ever  since  that  expe- 
rience I  have  despised  picnics  and  out-of-door  enter- 
tainments. 

The  servants  occupied  the  tent  with  us,  and  fared 
as  well  as  we  did  for  a  bed,  which  was  not  as  soft  and 
luxurious  as  some  upon  which  I  had  slept.  We  re- 
posed upon  the  bosom  of  mother  earth.  For  the  one 
which  the  children  and  I  used,  the  two  sheepskins 
were  laid  down,  and  then  the  pillows.  We  covered 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  135 

up  with  the  two  blankets  and  various  odds  and 
ends. 

One  evening  the  front  of  the  tent  was  thrown 
open,  and  the  bed  just  made  up  was  in  full  view, 
when  Captain  Potter  came  to  ask  if  I  needed  any- 
thing for  the  night.  He  could  not  help  seeing  it,  and 
asked,  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye,  if  that  was  where 
we  slept?  Our  bed  was  sumptuous  compared  with 
those  some  of  the  officers  had,  but  they  never  spoke 
of  them.  The  nights  were  cold,  and  often  the  frost 
glistened  and  sparkled  on  the  white  canvas  walls  by 
the  light  of  a  candle. 

In  the  early  morning,  while  the  men  took  down  the 
tents  and  loaded  the  wagons,  we  all  gathered  about 
the  camp-fires  and  compared  notes  as  to  the  experi- 
ences of  the  past  night,  and  how  we  twisted  and 
turned  to  dodge  a  root  or  an  extra  hard  spot  on  the 
ground,  but  one  and  all  made  light  of  the  discomfort, 
and  no  complaints  were  heard. 

Our  wagon  was  so  high  that  a  good  deal  of  skill 
was  necessary  to  get  in  and  out  of  it.  When  we 
were  all  inside,  and  the  "  tail-board"  was  put  up,  it 
was  thought  impossible  for  us  to  get  down  without 
help,  and  that  we  were  safe  until  camp  was  reached ; 
but  I  proved  to  my  friends  that  it  took  something 
higher  than  a  big  wagon  to  hold  me,  if  I  wanted  to 
get  out. 

We  were  moving  sleepily  along  the  road  one  day, 
when  four  mules  attached  to  an  ambulance  dashed 
past  us  and  across  the  prairie  at  full  speed.  In  a  few 
moments  the  bolts  that  held  the  body  to  the  wheels 
loosened,  and  over  it  went  to  the  ground.  The  wife 


136  /  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 

and  children  of  Lieutenant  Stivers  were  in  it,  and  no 
one  was  near  to  go  to  their  assistance  but  me ;  so  I 
climbed  out  of  the  front  of  the  wagon  somehow,  and 
was  first  at  the  scene  of  the  disaster.  I  feared  I  knew 
not  what,  but  there  was  no  tragedy  in  the  tableau 
that  met  my  anxious  eyes ;  such  a  mixture  I  never 
beheld!  As  soon  as  I  discovered  there  were  no 
broken  bones,  the  comic  side  of  the  picture  presented 
itself,  and  I  took  in  the  situation  at  a  glance. 

Mrs.  Stivers,  the  children,  bottles  of  milk,  contents 
of  lunch-basket,  and  numerous  other  articles  were 
piled  together  in  a  heap,  and  it  was  some  moments 
before  the  human  part  could  be  dragged  from  the 
debris.  When  the  officers,  riding  far  ahead  with  the 
column  of  troops,  heard  of  the  accident,  they  came 
back  to  see  what  had  happened,  and  after  they  found 
nobody  was  hurt,  they  asked,  in  astonishment,  how  I 
got  out  of  my  two-story  wagon  ?  I  did  not  tell  them, 
nor  would  I  accept  offers  of  help  to  return  to  it,  but 
managed  beautifully  by  myself — when  no  one  was 
looking. 

The  broken  ambulance  was  soon  repaired,  and  we 
continued  on  our  march.  A  more  forlorn  party  of 
United  States  troops,  women,  and  children  never 
entered  Fort  Leavenworth  than  that  with  which  I 
travelled  in  1861.  We  were  all  shabby  together, 
and  strongly  resembled  a  band  of  gypsies  or  travel- 
stained  emigrants  when  we  arrived. 

Our  camp  was  right  beside  one  occupied  by  a 
Western  volunteer  regiment  waiting  to  take  the  field 
— or  anything  else.  A  very  rough  set  of  men  indeed, 
and  not  at  all  agreeable  as  neighbors. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  137 

We  left  Leavenworth  on  a  boat.  There  was  part 
of  a  regiment  of  Iowa  soldiers,  bound  I  know  not 
where,  on  board,  and,  as  we  crossed  the  gang-plank, 
a  crowd  gathered  to  gaze  at  us.  We  felt  as  if  we 
were  part  of  a  show,  and  we  certainly  must  have 
been  an  odd  sight  in  our  motley  garments  and  sun- 
and-wind-burned  faces.  As  we  stepped  on  to  the 
boat,  one  of  the  crowd  exclaimed  to  his  companions, 
"  Here  come  the  old  Revoluters !"  And  I  have  no 
doubt  we  looked  as  if  we  belonged  to  the  last  cen- 
tury. 

When  I  went  to  my  state-room  that  night  I  found 
a  man  already  in  it.  Some  mistake  had  been  made, 
and  it  had  been  assigned  to  both  of  us.  Again  the 
officers  came  to  my  relief,  kindly  giving  up  one  of 
their  rooms  to  us,  while  they  calmly  lay  down  on  the 
cabin  floor  and  went  to  sleep.  They  had  not  been 
much  pampered  for  some  weeks  in  the  way  of  sleep- 
ing accommodations,  and  found  the  warm  floor  better 
than  "  the  cold  ground"  on  which  they  had  reposed 
for  many  a  night.  But  the  new  soldiers  were  not  as 
well  pleased  with  their  resting-place  as  my  friends 
were,  apparently,  for  I  heard  one  exclaim,  next  morn- 
ing, after  lying  on  the  floor  all  night,  "Ah!  this  is 
roughing  it !"  I  have  no  doubt  the  poor  fellow  had 
occasion  many  times  to  look  back  to  that  compara- 
tively comfortable  night,  and  wonder  how  he  ever 
could  have  thought  he  was  "  roughing  it"  when 
sleeping  on  the  floor  of  a  steamboat;  but  the  war 
was  only  a  few  months  old  then,  and  what  was  con- 
sidered a  trial  at  that  time  was  luxury  later  on. 

We  left  the  boat  for  railroad  cars  of  the  poorest 

12* 


138  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

and  most  uncomfortable  kind,  not  anything  like  as 
good  as  the  emigrant  cars  of  to-day,  but  we  thought 
them  rather  fine  after  our  recent  experiences  on  the 
plains. 

St.  Louis  was  safely  reached,  and  there  we  were  to 
part  from  the  friends  with  whom  we  had  travelled  so 
far,  and  make  our  way  East  alone.  We  remained  a 
few  hours  at  the  Southern  Hotel  to  prepare  for  the 
trip  and  receive  the  passport  then  necessary  before 
we  could  leave  the  city. 

I  had  discharged  my  cook  at  Fort  Leavenworth, 
and  her  services  were  gladly  secured  by  a  lady  as 
nurse.  So  my  party  was  reduced  to  myself,  two 
children,  and  nur^e. 

While  at  the  hotel  a  young  man  came  to  me  with 
a  printed  form,  on  which  he  wrote  a  general  descrip- 
tion of  my  appearance,  color  of  eyes,  hair,  height, 
and  age.  I  was  too  young  then  to  object  to  ques- 
tions on  that  usually  tender  point. 

I  took  an  oath  not  to  give  aid  nor  comfort  to  the 
enemy,  etc.,  all  of  which  I  promised,  without  reading 
what  was  required  of  me.  I  supposed  it  was  a  mere 
matter  of  form,  and  did  not  examine  the  paper  until 
some  time  after  the  man  had  left.  I  was  not  likely 
to  be  placed  in  a  position  "  to  give  help  to  our  ene- 
mies," and  I  should  have  signed  anything  bearing  on 
that  subject ;  my  whole  object  was  to  get  away  from 
St.  Louis  as  soon  as  possible,  and  I  thought  every- 
thing was  settled. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  139 


XXII 

THROUGH  my  ignorance  and  the  carelessness  of  the 
man  who  issued  the  passport,  we  came  near  having  a 
serious  time  in  leaving  the  city.  He  did  not  ask  if 
there  was  anybody  with  me  for  whom  another  was 
required,  and  it  had  not  occurred  to  me  to  mention 
my  colored  nurse,  thinking  one  paper  sufficient. 

When  we  reached  the  ferry-boat  I  found  all  my 
baggage,  trunks,  chests,  etc.  on  board,  and  felt  happy 
at  the  prospect  of  starting  in  a  few  moments.  I  was 
asked  for  our  passports.  I  handed  my  only  one  to 
the  man,  and  said,  quietly,  I  had  no  other.  Then 
there  was  a  scene !  He  was  a  brute,  and  rough  and 
insolent  to  me,  and  there  was  not  a  soul  to  protect  me 
from  him  whom  I  knew.  None  of  my  friends  could 
take  me  to  the  boat,  as  they  were  going  in  a  different 
direction,  and  I  had  to  fight  for  myself.  I  stated  the 
case  as  plainly  as  I  could,  all  to  no  purpose.  He 
declared  the  girl  should  not  leave  unless  she  had 
a  passport  also,  and  seemed  to  work  himself  into 
a  rage  over  the  matter,  for  some  unknown  reason. 
The  passengers  gathered  around  me  and  expostu- 
lated with  him.  The  time  was  up  for  the  boat  to 
start,  and  I  was  in  despair,  imploring  him  to  let  us 
go.  A  quiet,  handsome  man,  evidently  a  distin- 
guished person,  moved  by  my  distress,  stepped  for- 


140  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

ward  with  his  passport,  and  asked  if  the  name  on 
it  would  not  carry  the  lady  over.  "  No,"  was  the 
answer.  Finally  some  one  in  authority  on  the  boat, 
who  had  been  watching  the  exciting  scene,  came  up, 
and,  asking  for  my  passport,  wrote  upon  it,  "  Vouched 
for  by  H.  Q.  Sanderson."  Who  he  was  I  never  knew, 
but  his  signature  was  sufficient  to  carry  us  over  the 
river,  and  I  thanked  him  as  well  as  my  agitation 
would  permit.  I  still  have  that  passport. 

The  gentleman  who  had  tried  to  take  us  across  the 
ferry  on  the  strength  of  his  name  travelled  with  us 
for  two  or  three  days,  never  intruding,  and  seem- 
ingly taking  no  notice  of  us  until  some  assistance 
from  him  would  be  agreeable ;  then  he  would  come 
forward,  pick  up  bundles  and  baskets,  carry  them  to 
another  train,  put  them  in  place,  and  retire  to  his 
own  seat.  And  I  let  that  man  leave  the  cars  without 
finding  out  who  he  was,  which  I  have  never  ceased 
to  regret,  as  I  was  most  grateful  to  him  for  his  kind- 
ness and  his  thoroughly  respectful  manner  towards 
me.  I  was  young  and  shy  in  1861,  and  disliked  to 
approach  a  stranger  and  ask  his  name. 

When  we  reached  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania,  whom 
should  I  find  waiting  for  us  but  Captain  Lane  ?  He 
had  left  New  Mexico  in  the  overland  stage,  and  was 
in  the  East  weeks  before  we  arrived.  He  had  applied 
to  General  Canby  for  a  leave,  which  was  refused. 
His  object  was  to  go  to  Kentucky,  where  a  cavalry 
regiment  had  been  raised,  and  the  command  of  it 
offered  to  him.  He  wanted  to  go  to  Washington 
and  ask  permission  to  take  it,  so  when  his  leave  was 
refused  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  to  resign,  which 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  14! 

he  did,  going  immediately  to  Washington,  where  he 
withdrew  his  resignation  and  requested  that  he  might 
accept  the  colonelcy  of  the  Kentucky  Union  cav- 
alry regiment.  The  authorities  would  not  grant  his 
petition,  but  ordered  him  to  proceed  to  Philadelphia 
and  assist  Colonel  Charles  Ruff  in  mustering  Penn- 
sylvania regiments. 

Afterwards  he  was  made  chief  mustering  and  dis- 
bursing officer  for  Pennsylvania,  and  stationed  at  Har- 
risburg  and  Philadelphia  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

We  had  been  home  but  a  few  days  when  one  of  the 
children  became  ill  with  scarlet  fever.  As  the  only 
house  we  had  been  in  between  Fort  Union,  New 
Mexico,  and  Carlisle  was  the  hotel  in  St.  Louis,  I  sup- 
pose that  is  where  the  disease  was  contracted,  or  on 
the  cars,  possibly.  Hers  was  the  only  case. 

I  had  not  been  East  long  before  I  discovered  that, 
to  be  considered  "truly  loyal,"  I  must  give  up  all 
kindly  feeling  towards  our  old  army  friends  who  had 
gone  South,  and  that  such  sentiments  must  be  eradi- 
cated at  once.  I  could  not  hate  them,  no  matter  how 
much  I  opposed  and  disliked  their  opinions ;  so,  as 
my  poor  convictions  could  neither  carry  on  nor  end 
the  war,  and  were  not  necessary  for  the  good  of  the 
country,  I  kept  them  to  myself,  and  thus  avoided 
squabbles  and  political  discussions,  which  I  detested, 
and  of  which  I  knew  nothing  whatever. 

We  remained  East  all  through  the  war, — those 
years  so  full  of  anguish  for  our  whole  country. 

In  1863  I  had  the  most  serious  illness  of  my  life, 
pneumonia,  and  for  six  weeks  the  chances  for  life  or 
death  were  about  even,  but  I  did  not  die,  you  see. 


142  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

It  was  not  until  the  summer  of  1866  that  we  re- 
turned to  the  frontier,  and  I  was  glad  New  Mexico 
was  again  to  be  our  station.  We  had  great  difficulty 
in  securing  servants  to  go  with  us,  but  at  last  hired 
a  very  homely  middle-aged  white  woman,  who  pro- 
fessed to  know  everything  about  cooking.  A  young 
English  girl  who  was  almost  worthless  went  with  us 
as  nurse  for  a  baby  boy  who  had  been  added  to 
our  small  family. 

At  Fort  Leavenworth,  Captain  McNutt,  of  the 
ordnance,  invited  us  to  stay  at  his  house  while  we 
remained.  It  was  very  kind  of  him,  for  a  family  of 
seven,  added  to  his  small  bachelor  establishment, 
made  a  good  deal  of  difference. 

Captain  McNutt  was  well  known  in  the  army  for 
his  absent-mindedness,  and  many  funny  stories  were 
told  of  him.  One  I  heard  in  Texas  was  quite  char- 
acteristic of  the  man.  It  was  noised  abroad  that  a 
grand  entertainment  was  soon  to  be  given  by  Captain 
McNutt,  and  everybody  was  on  the  qui  vive  for  an 
invitation.  Preparations  were  made  on  a  grand  scale, 
the  supper  was  ordered,  and  on  the  night  of  the  party 
the  house  was  brilliantly  illuminated,  the  captain  in 
full  dress,  only  awaiting  the  coming  of  his  guests 
to  be  perfectly  happy.  But  they  never  came !  He 
discovered  before  the  evening  was  over  not  an  invi- 
tation had  been  sent  out :  they  were  lying  in  his  desk, 
where  he  had  placed  them  after  they  were  written  ! 

We  found  a  number  of  officers  and  their  families 
at  Fort  Leavenworth  under  orders  for  New  Mexico  ; 
my  fifth  journey  it  was  to  be.  There  were  no  less 
than  six  brides  in  the  party,  and  not  a  woman  among 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  1 43 

all  those  going  out  had  ever  crossed  the  Plains  but 
me,  and  I  am  certain  a  good  many  were  not  pleased 
at  the  prospect  before  them.  We  had  made  every 
preparation  possible  for  our  comfort  and  convenience. 
A  fine  large  ambulance,  used  by  General  Sheridan  in 
the  valley  of  the  Shenandoah,  and  sold  by  the  govern- 
ment after  the  war,  held  the  entire  family.  We  had  a 
buggy,  too,  which  we  called  the  "  Mother's  Refuge," 
into  which  I  retreated  when  I  wanted  rest  and  quiet. 

A  very  high  horse,  purchased  at  a  very  low  price, 
served  to  amuse  the  children,  and  they  were  some- 
times allowed  to  ride  him.  He  was  entitled  to  be 
a  namesake  of  Big  Foot,  the  Sioux  chief,  for  such 
hoofs  I  never  saw  before.  As  he  was  not  bought  for 
speed  nor  beauty,  he  answered  very  well,  and  old 
"  Ned"  is  remembered  most  kindly  to  this  day  by  the 
younger  members  of  the  family. 

It  was  amusing  to  an  old  campaigner  like  myself 
to  see  the  brides  start  off  from  Fort  Leavenworth 
for  an  ambulance  expedition  of  six  hundred  miles. 
Their  dainty  costumes  were  far  more  suitable  for 
Fifth  Avenue  than  camp  and  a  hot,  dusty  ride  in  the 
broiling  sun  day  after  day.  They  awoke  to  the  fact 
very  soon.  Hoops  were  fashionable  then,  and  a  good 
deal  of  manoeuvring  was  required  to  get  in  and  out 
of  an  ambulance  with  ease,  not  to  mention  grace. 
Some  of  the  ladies  wore  little  turbans  with  mask 
veils  and  delicate  kid  gloves. 

I  started  out  as  I  intended  to  dress  throughout 
the  march, — a  calico  frock,  plainly  made,  no  hoops, 
and  a  sun-bonnet,  and  indeed  I  must  have  looked 
outlandish  to  my  young  friends  just  from  New  York, 


144  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

but  there  was  not  a  husband  who  did  not  commend 
my  common-sense  dress,  urging  their  wives  to  adopt 
it.  Many  of  them  did,  in  a  short  time,  and  admitted 
they  were  more  comfortable,  even  though  the  change 
was  not  becoming. 

Such  an  expedition  to  the  uninitiated,  especially 
when  the  heart  was  not  in  it,  was  exceedingly  weari- 
some. The  necessity  for  early  rising  was  a  trial  in 
itself.  Many  were  unable  to  eat  the  breakfast  served 
while  the  morning  star  still  shone  in  the  heavens.  A 
cup  of  hot  coffee,  hastily  swallowed,  was  all  they  re- 
quired, but  I,  from  long  practice,  had  learned  to  enjoy 
my  breakfast  at  three  A.M.  as  much  as  at  a  later  hour. 

While  we  were  despatching  the  early  repast  by  the 
light  of  a  candle,  the  cook  baked  pans  of  biscuit  and 
fried  quantities  of  bacon  and  any  fresh  meat  obtain- 
able. All  this  was  put  into  a  large  tin  box,  provided 
especially  for  the  purpose.  Sometimes  a  huge,  and 
undoubtedly  very  poor,  dried-apple  pie  was  added, 
and  that  was  a  feast  indeed,  and  I  assure  you  Del- 
monico  never  served  a  luncheon  that  was  more  enjoyed 
than  those  of  which  we  partook,  not  at  the  conventional 
hours  of  one  or  two  P.M.,  but  generally  at  seven  or 
eight  A.M.  I  must  not  forget  the  canteen  full  of 
tea,  the  outside  of  which  was  kept  wet,  making  the 
contents  agreeably  cool.  Delmonico's  guests  would 
possibly  prefer  something  stronger  than  tea ;  but  of 
one  thing  I  am  certain,  few  of  them  would  have  the 
same  enjoyment  from  their  fine  wines  that  we  had  with 
our  cold  tea,  the  pure  air  of  the  plains  adding  a  zest 
to  our  humble  fare  and  mild  beverage.  I  do  not  say 
there  was  not  "  a  stick"  added  sometimes  on  occasion. 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  145 


XXIII 

FREQUENTLY  the  Indians  made  us  visits  after  we 
reached  camp.  They  seemed  to  pop  up  most  unex- 
pectedly; and  though  we  could  not  see  one  while 
riding  along  the  road,  we  had  no  sooner  turned  into 
camp  than  they  suddenly  swooped  down  upon  us 
like  a  swarm  of  locusts.  They  were  utterly  regard- 
less of  time  and  season,  making  the  calls  as  it  suited 
their  own  pleasure  and  convenience.  They  came 
close  up  to  the  tent,  staring  at  us,  no  matter  in  what 
state  of  undress  we  might  be.  Our  dishabille,  how- 
ever, was  full  dress,  compared  with  their  visiting  cos- 
tumes. A  regular  dandy  honored  us  one  day,  and 
this  is  what  he  wore:  an  army  officer's  coat,  well 
buttoned  up,  an  old  sword  dangling  from  a  leather 
belt,  a  soldier's  cap,  and  moccasins  ;  no  sign  of  trou- 
sers nor  leg-covering  had  he,  and  he  seemed  ut- 
terly unconscious  of  the  absence  of  those  garments 
deemed  so  essential  in  the  presence  of  ladies  and 
polite  society.  He  bore  himself  with  becoming 
dignity,  no  doubt  being  perfectly  satisfied  with  his 
appearance. 

Quite  a  serious  accident  happened  to  the  wife  of 

Lieutenant  James  Casey,  after  we  had  been  out  for 

some  weeks.     The  driver  of  her  ambulance  went  to 

sleep,  and,  of  course,  did  not  see  a  small  hill  over 

G      k  13 


146  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

which  the  road  ran ;  and  the  mules,  being  left  to  their 
own  devices,  made  too  short  a  turn,  upsetting  the  car- 
riage. Husband  saw  the  mishap,  and  before  I  knew 
what  had  happened  he  threw  the  reins  to  me  and 
ran  to  give  what  assistance  might  be  required.  The 
poor  little  woman  was  found  to  be  in  great  agony, 
and  was  lifted  with  difficulty.  A  halt  was  made, 
and  everything  done  for  her  relief  by  the  surgeon 
with  the  command.  Several  ribs  were  broken,  and 
she  was  badly  bruised  and  sprained.  When  she  was 
made  comparatively  comfortable,  we  travelled  on  to 
camp. 

Think  how  she  suffered,  carried  along  in  the  am- 
bulance day  after  day ;  she  could  not  be  left,  as  there 
was  no  house  for  hundreds  of  miles,  and  if  one  had 
been  found  she  would  have  had  no  doctor ;  travel 
she  must,  even  though  it  killed  her.  But  she  did 
not  die,  though  it  was  months  before  she  was  able  to 
walk  about. 

The  army  woman  of  to-day  has  no  idea  of  the 
hardships  so  patiently  endured  by  her  mother  (in  the 
army,  also).  She  now  makes  her  trips  from  ocean  to 
ocean  in  six  or  seven  days,  while  the  mother  travelled 
at  a  snail's  pace  for  weeks  to  accomplish  one-quarter 
the  distance.  If  this  young  woman  rides  twenty-five 
or  thirty  miles  in  an  ambulance  from  the  railroad  to 
the  post  where  her  husband  is  stationed,  she  arrives 
completely  exhausted  and  imagines  herself  a  heroine. 
The  mother  was  forced  to  travel  with  the  command, 
sick  or  well,  while  if  the  younger  woman  is  indis- 
posed there  are  numbers  of  very  pleasant  towns  or 
ranches  along  her  route  where  she  can  tarry  for  a 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  147 

few  days  until  she  recuperates,  or  she  can  be  quite 
comfortable  in  a  Pullman  car. 

I  recollect  once,  when  I  was  crossing  the  Plains,  a 
baby  was  born  to  the  wife  of  one  of  the  officers 
with  the  command.  Next  day  she  rode  eighteen 
miles  in  her  ambulance,  doing  the  same  thing  daily 
until  we  arrived  at  Fort  Union,  New  Mexico.  And 
I  knew  another  young  wife  whose  baby  was  born 
in  a  tent  in  the  wilds  of  Texas,  far  from  any  post 
or  settlement.  Having  no  woman  to  give  her  the 
care  she  required  nor  to  tell  her  what  was  neces- 
sary to  be  done,  she  became  totally  blind  from 
the  glare  of  the  sun  on  the  white  canvas  walls.  I 
met  her  afterwards,  and  she  was  but  a  shadow  of  her 
former  self.  It  was  pathetic  to  see  her  groping  about 
from  room  to  room  in  that  soft,  gentle  way  peculiar 
to  those  who  have  not  always  been  blind.  Her  baby 
died. 

Think  of  what  I  have  told  you,  my  young  army 
friends,  and  cease  to  grumble  at  trifles.  Compare 
your  lot  with  your  mother's,  and  see  how  much  more 
comfortable  you  are  than  she  was.  She  liked  pretty 
things  and  luxuries  as  much  as  you  do,  but  had  very 
few  of  either,  and  she  was  quite  as  handsome  and 
young,  too,  as  you  are  when  she  gave  her  heart  and 
hand  to  the  fascinating  Second  Lieutenant  Buttons, 
who  endowed  her  "with  all  his  worldly  goods," 
which  usually  meant  his  monthly  pay  of  from  sixty- 
eight  to  ninety  dollars  a  month,  and  some  bills — 
tailor  bills — for  clothes,  which  helped  to  make  him 
so  irresistible.  Her  bridal  tour  was  to  a  frontier 
post,  a  thousand  miles  from  anywhere,  and  a  jour- 


148  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

ney  of  a  month  or  six  weeks  between  her  and  her 
old  home. 

So  be  content,  my  dears,  with  all  your  advantages, 
your  pretty  homes  and  your  good  husbands.  I  know 
they  are  good ;  all  army  men  are,  or  ought  to  be. 

While  making  speeches  I  have  left  the  Santa  Fe 
trail  far  behind,  and  I  must  hurry  to  the  crossing 
of  the  Arkansas  River.  It  was  booming  when  we 
reached  it,  and  had  overflowed  its  banks.  It  was  too 
high  to  ford,  so  that  we  were  delayed  until  the  waters 
subsided.  We  longed  to  get  to  the  other  side  of  the 
ugly  yellow  stream,  narrow,  yet  very  deep,  and  we 
cast  many  an  anxious  glance  at  the  angry,  foaming 
flood.  Much  time  was  spent  testing  its  depth,  until 
finally  it  was  thought  with  extreme  care  we  might 
cross.  A  rope  was  stretched  from  bank  to  bank  by 
which  the  men  could  steady  themselves,  the  current 
being  swift  and  dangerous. 

Everybody  and  everything  passed  over  without 
accident,  when  a  handsome  young  German  corporal, 
disdaining  the  rope,  started  to  swim  to  the  other 
shore,  plunging  fearlessly  into  the  water.  In  a  mo- 
ment he  disappeared,  and  was  not  seen  for  some 
time ;  but  as  Colonel  Lane  rode  into  the  river  the 
body  came  up,  face  downward,  and  was  carried  right 
by  the  horse.  It  was  secured  and  taken  ashore, 
where  everything  was  done  to  restore  life,  but  with- 
out avail.  The  man  had  been  sick  for  some  days  in 
the  hospital,  and  it  was  supposed  he  was  too  weak 
to  endure  the  exertion  of  swimming  across  the  river. 

It  was  very  late  when  camp  was  reached  that 
afternoon.  Preparations  were  at  once  made  for  the 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  149 

funeral,  a  grave  dug,  etc.  It  was  dark  when  all  was 
ready.  The  mournful  procession,  headed  by  the 
drum  and  fife  and  men  carrying  torches,  was  as 
touching  a  sight  as  I  ever  witnessed,  as  it  passed 
on  its  way  to  the  spot  selected  for  the  burial, — the 
solemn  stillness  of  the  night  broken  only  by  the 
steady  tramp  of  many  men  to  the  music  of  the  dead 
march. 

It  was  awful  to  think  of  that  man,  so  full  of  life 
but  a  few  hours  before,  being  hurried  into  a  lonely 
grave  far  from  home  and  friends. 

The  funeral  party  returned  to  camp  marching  to 
the  j oiliest  airs  played  on  drum  and  fife,  and  the 
handsome  German  soldier  shared  the  fate  of  millions, 
— was  forgotten. 

To  have  seen  the  oceans  of  tears  shed  by  my 
homely  maids  at  the  funeral,  one  might  have  imagined 
he  was  their  nearest  and  dearest;  possibly  it  was 
nervous  excitement  which  caused  the  unusual  over- 
flow. 

We  had  travelled  along  the  Arkansas  for  several 
days  before  we  forded  it.  There  was  once  an  old 
trading-post  on  the  river  known  as  "  Bent's  Fort." 
I  recollect  seeing  a  man  about  the  place  who  had 
been  more  than  scalped  by  the  Indians.  It  was  sel- 
dom one  survived  that  operation,  but  this  fellow  was 
an  exception,  and  was  lively  enough,  although  his 
head  was  still  bandaged.  His  recovery  was  almost 
miraculous,  for  the  whole  skin  had  been  torn  from 
his  head,  from  ear  to  ear,  back  and  front.  I  take  it 
he  hoped  to  live  to  meet  his  red  brethren  again,  that 
he  might  do  unto  them  as  they  had  done  unto  him. 

13* 


I5O  I  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 

There  was  not  much  love  in  those  days  between  a 
frontiersman  and  an  Indian,  and  there  is  not  a  great 
deal  even  now. 

As  we  approached  New  Mexico  a  certain  unrest 
seemed  to  take  possession  of  everybody,  and  there 
was  a  good  deal  of  excitement  visible  as  the  old, 
well-known  points  of  interest  rose  up  before  us. 

Fisher's  Peak  was  one  that  I  loved,  and  is  near  the 
now  flourishing  town  of  Trinidad,  Colorado.  We 
remember  when  there  was  but  one  house  in  the  place. 
Our  recollections  of  that  little  Mexican  jacal  are 
vivid,  for  husband  had  occasion  to  go  into  it,  and 
when  he  returned  to  camp  I  found  something  crawl- 
ing on  his  coat  which  I  will  not  name. 

Our  tents  were  pitched  in  full  view  of  Fisher's 
Peak  in  1866,  and  we  remained  a  day  in  the  pretty 
camp.  A  soldier  drew  a  picture  of  it  for  one  of  the 
children,  which  is  still  in  my  possession.  Our  own 
tents,  wagons,  ambulance,  and  buggy  made  a  little 
village  by  themselves,  and  I  have  a  feeling  of  home- 
sickness when  I  look  at  my  picture. 

There  was  certainly  something  fascinating  in  the 
roving  life  we  led  that  exactly  suited  me,  but  I  am 
confident  many  of  our  companions  on  that  journey 
congratulated  themselves  when  it  was  over ;  and  as 
it  was  their  first  experience  in  that  kind  of  travelling, 
it  was  not  remarkable  they  were  somewhat  weary, 
and  looked  forward  with  pleasure  to  the  day  when 
we  should  arrive  at  Fort  Union.  Many  of  those 
with  whom  we  crossed  the  Plains  in  1866,  and  knew 
so  well,  are  long  since  dead ;  some  I  never  heard  of 
again,  while  others  we  meet  occasionally. 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  !$! 

Among  the  officers  and  families  were  General 
Sykes,  in  command,  Colonel  "  Pinky"  Marshall  and 
wife,  Colonel  Henry  Bankhead  and  wife,  Lieutenant 
Newbold  and  wife,  Lieutenant  James  Casey  and  wife, 
Lieutenant  Ephraim  Williams,  Lieutenant  Granville 
Lewis,  and  many  others  whose  names  have  escaped 
my  memory. 


152  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


XXIV 

WE  were  much  amused  at  a  speech  made  by  a 
pretty  bride  when  the  march  was  done.  We  were 
talking  it  over,  when  she  remarked  that  she  thought 
her  father  would  enjoy  such  a  trip,  and  added,  "  He 
is  an  older  man  than  you,  Colonel  Lane."  Such  a 
speech  was  like  a  dash  of  cold  water  in  your  face,  if 
you  were  not  old  and  did  not  consider  yourself  so. 
She  evidently  thought  Colonel  Lane  almost  too  in- 
firm to  travel  so  great  a  distance. 

But  he  had  his  revenge.  He  met  her,  a  gray- 
haired  matron,  a  few  years  ago  in  Washington.  His 
remaining  locks  were  untouched  by  Father  Time, 
and  were  still  brown.  He  reminded  her  of  her 
speech,  and  they  had  a  hearty  laugh  about  it  and 
other  incidents  of  the  journey. 

At  Fort  Union  we  remained  several  weeks,  camp- 
ing in  a  house,  and  awaiting  assignment  to  a  station. 
Great  anxiety  was  displayed  by  the  new  arrivals  re- 
garding the  posts  in  New  Mexico, — where  they  were, 
if  pleasant,  etc.  One  day  several  of  the  ladies  who 
had  just  crossed  the  Plains  were  at  our  quarters, 
when  General  Pope  called.  Of  course  they  asked 
him  where  he  was  going  to  send  their  husbands. 
He,  without  answering,  inquired  of  each  one  sepa- 
rately where  she  would  like  to  go,  and  they  told  him, 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 

selecting,  of  course,  the  posts  of  which  they  had 
heard  the  best  accounts. 

When  he  asked  me,  knowing  how  useless  it  was 
to  make  a  choice,  I  replied,  indifferently,  it  made  no 
matter  to  me  where  we  were  stationed.  I  was  not 
going  to  say  which  post  I  preferred,  for  it  was  not 
probable  we  would  be  sent  anywhere  near  it.  When 
orders  came  for  Colonel  Lane  to  proceed  to  Santa  Fe 
and  take  command  of  Fort  Marcy,  my  friends  were 
mad  with  envy,  and  one  of  them  remarked,  "  That 
is  your  reward  for  keeping  your  mouth  shut."  Of 
course  the  likes  and  dislikes  of  the  wives  were  not 
taken  into  consideration,  nor  even  remembered,  when 
their  husbands  were  assigned  for  duty  at  a  post. 

The  four  days  we  spent  on  the  road  between  Fort 
Union  and  Santa  Fe  were  very  depressing  and  disa- 
greeable :  it  rained  without  intermission,  and  camping 
on  the  wet  ground  was  most  uncomfortable.  Our 
bedding  was  far  from  dry,  and  there  was  a  damp, 
chilly  feel  in  the  tent  that  made  us  shiver.  A  quan- 
tity of  fresh,  clean  hay  laid  over  the  canvas  floor-cov- 
ering helped  matters  somewhat,  and  a  pan  of  hot 
coals  warmed  the  air  a  little.  The  tent  was  one  left 
over  from  the  war,  and  by  no  means  water-tight. 

A  dismal  little  stream  trickled  through  it  on  to 
the  foot  of  the  bed,  over  which  was  laid  a  rubber 
blanket,  to  prevent  it  from  being  saturated  and  to 
turn  the  rivulet  from  the  bed  to  the  ground. 

It  was,  indeed,  a  miserable  experience,  and  my 
powers  of  patience  and  endurance  were  taxed  to  the 
utmost.  I  think  I  would  then  have  sold  at  a  low 
rate  any  future  chance  I  might  have  to  camp  out. 


154  7  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

The  day  before  we  reached  Santa  Fe  our  baby 
became  ill  suddenly.  It  was  fortunate  for  us  that  a 
ranch  was  not  far  from  camp,  where  we  were  able  to 
rent  a  room  for  the  night.  The  house  was  famous 
at  that  time  as  a  stopping-place  in  the  beautiful  "  Glo- 
rietta  Canon,"  where  we  could  be  quite  comfortable. 
Any  house  was  better  than  a  tent  in  such  a  rain- 
storm, and  with  a  very  sick  baby  to  be  cared  for  we 
were  grateful  for  the  refuge.  As  he  seemed  a  little 
better  next  day,  we  decided  to  continue  on  to  Santa 
Fe,  where  we  arrived  early  in  the  afternoon,  going  at 
once  to  Fort  Marcy. 

The  fort  was  very  small,  and  just  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  town.  The  quarters,  built  of  adobe,  were 
miserable,  leaky,  and  in  a  tumble-down  condition 
generally. 

We  made  ourselves  as  comfortable  as  we  could  be 
in  such  a  poor  house,  but  we  were  so  anxious  about 
the  baby  that  there  was  no  time  to  worry  over  trifles. 
There  were  two  excellent  army  doctors  at  Fort 
Marcy,  who  were  untiring  in  their  attentions  to  him  ; 
he  was  ill  unto  death  for  days,  but,  through  their 
watchful  care,  he  was  given  back  to  us  from  the 
brink  of  the  grave.  It  is  only  necessary  to  add  that 
the  doctors  were  J.  Cooper  McKee  and  David  L. 
Huntington,  and  hundreds  of  their  patients  will  un- 
understand  that  there  was  nothing  left  undone  that 
could  afford  the  child  relief  or  assist  us  in  our  care 
of  him. 

Our  housekeeping  at  Santa  Fewas  an  up-hill  busi- 
ness ;  only  one  of  the  servants  we  had  taken  out  with 
us  remained.  The  cook,  ugly  as  she  was,  won  the  hand 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  155 

— I  cannot  say  the  heart — of  a  stone-mason  at  Fort 
Union,  almost  immediately, — how,  I  never  under- 
stood. She  was  old  as  well  as  ugly,  and  not  at  all 
pleasant- tempered,  and,  to  crown  all,  a  wretched 
cook.  When  she  was  disagreeable,  she  always  showed 
it  by  reading  her  Bible, — always  a  sure  sign  of  ill 
temper  with  her.  The  man  must  have  needed  a 
housekeeper  badly  to  marry  old  Martin. 

The  nurse  took  her  place  in  the  kitchen,  and  I  had 
to  teach  her  everything.  I  was  more  capable  then 
than  when  I  undertook  to  instruct  Mike,  the  Irish- 
man, in  the  art  of  cooking.  We  managed  not  to 
starve.  We  had  cows  which  gave  us  all  the  milk 
and  butter  we  required,  I  doing  all  the  butter-making 
myself.  A  great  deal  of  the  milk  I  gave  to  the 
soldiers  stationed  at  Marcy,  and  also  sent  it  to  my 
neighbors,  who  had  none.  I  remember  my  indig- 
nation when  an  officer,  who  had  not  been  long  in 
the  army,  asked  me  to  sell  him  some,  and  the  wife 
of  an  officer,  whose  baby  I  had  supplied  with  new 
milk,  sent  to  me  for  her  bill ! 

I  was  very  fond  of  Santa  Fe,  and  enjoyed  living 
there, — the  old  place  was  so  far  behind  the  times. 
The  strange  customs  of  the  people  and  the  funny 
sights  we  saw  would  amuse  you,  but  I  cannot  well 
go  into  particulars.  Fandangos  and  balls  were  of 
nightly  occurrence.  I  had  heard  so  much,  and  been 
told  so  often,  of  the  great  beauty  of  the  Mexican 
belles  who  graced  the  dances  with  their  presence 
that  I  determined  to  see  them.  We  made  up  parties 
of  ladies  occasionally,  and  under  the  escort  of  several 
officers  went  to  look  on ;  but  we  were  always  unfor- 


156  /  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER. 

tunate,  and  never  succeeded  in  seeing  the  beauties. 
They  were  unavoidably  absent  when  we  were  there, 
and  I  have  the  first  really  pretty  Mexican  woman  yet 
to  see.  I  think  much  of  their  beauty  lay  in  their  dark 
eyes,  which  they  knew  how  to  use  on  the  poor  de- 
luded men,  while  in  talking  to  a  woman  they  kept 
them  modestly  cast  down.  The  sweet  voices,  whis- 
pering soft  Spanish  nothings,  completed  the  conquest, 
and  by  the  time  the  party  was  over  every  man  there, 
married  and  single,  was  willing  to  swear  to  the  ex- 
quisite beauty  of  Senorita  Blanco  and  the  bewitching 
grace  of  Senorita  Dulce. 

When  their  raptures  were  coldly  received  by  us, — 
the  women  critics, — they  were  amazed  at  our  indif- 
ference, and  thought  it  was  due  to  our  jealousy  of 
the  Mexican  belles. 

In  January,  Colonel  Lane  was  ordered  to  leave 
Santa  Fe  and  return  to  Fort  Union,  to  command  that 
post.  His  rank  then  was  major  of  the  Third  Cavalry 
and  brevet  lieutenant-colonel. 

The  Third  Cavalry  was  originally  the  Mounted 
Rifles,  and  I  never  could  understand  why  it  and  the 
two  dragoon  regiments — first  and  second — were  not 
allowed  to  retain  their  ancient  and  most  honorable 
names,  instead  of  calling  them  all  "  cavalry." 

Colonel  Charles  Whiting  relieved  Colonel  Lane  at 
Fort  Marcy,  and  we  proceeded  to  Fort  Union,  where 
we  found  new  quarters  awaiting  us.  Their  appear- 
ance was  imposing,  but  there  was  no  comfort  in 
them. 

The  house  we  occupied,  built  for  the  commanding 
officer,  consisted  of  eight  rooms,  four  on  each  side 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  1 57 

of  an  unnecessarily  wide  hall  for  that  dusty,  windy 
country.  They  were  built  of  adobe,  and  plastered 
inside  and  out,  and  one  story  high,  with  a  deep  porch 
in  front  of  the  house.  There  was  not  a  closet  nor 
a  shelf  in  the  house,  and,  until  some  were  put  up  in 
the  dining-room  and  kitchen,  the  china,  as  it  was 
unpacked,  was  placed  upon  the  floor.  After  great 
exertion  and  delay  the  quartermaster  managed  to 
have  some  plain  pine  shelves  made  for  us,  which, 
though  not  ornamental,  answered  the  purpose.  There 
was  no  one  to  have  such  things  done  but  the  quar- 
termaster, no  towns  in  the  neighborhood  where 
workmen  lived  and  could  be  hired.  You  may  be 
sure  the  quartermaster's  life  was  a  burden  to  him, 
pestered  as  he  was  from  morning  until  night  by 
every  woman  at  the  post,  each  one  wanting  some- 
thing done,  and  "  right  away,"  too.  But  I  have  yet 
to  hear  of  a  quartermaster  dying  because  his  burdens 
were  too  heavy  to  bear.  They  are  almost  all  hale  and 
hearty  men. 

We  were  quite  at  home  in  a  short  time,  and,  with 
the  addition  of  a  young  Mexican  man  and  little  Mex- 
ican girl  to  our  establishment,  we  were  comfortable. 
The  man  milked  cows,  brought  wood  and  water, 
scrubbed  floors,  etc.,  besides  telling  the  children  the 
most  marvellous  tales  ever  invented.  When  a  little 
boy  he  had  been  captured  by  the  Indians,  and,  if  he 
could  have  spoken  English  better,  would  have  had 
many  a  blood-curdling  story  to  relate.  The  children 
understood  his  jargon  better  than  I  did,  and  adored 
him. 

Jose  (pronounced  Hosay)  was  his  name.  My  maid, 
14 


158  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

being  English,  called  him  'Osay.  She  was  an  end- 
less source  of  amusement  to  him,  and  he  tormented 
her  beyond  endurance. 

The  Mexican  child,  Haney,  was  a  fine  playmate  for 
the  children  ;  she  was  good-natured,  and  suffered  in 
consequence,  and  when  the  play  became  too  rough 
she  ran  to  "  Mama,"  as  she  called  me,  to  complain. 

Their  language  was  a  wonderful  mixture  of  Span- 
ish, English,  signs,  and  nods,  but  each  understood  it 
perfectly. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  159 


XXV 

COLONEL  LANE,  as  commanding  officer,  seemed  to 
feel  obliged  to  entertain  everybody  who  came  to  the 
post ;  and  as  our  servants  were  inefficient  and  there 
was  no  market  at  hand,  it  was  very  difficult  to  have 
things  always  to  please  us,  and,  I  fear,  to  the  satisfac- 
tion of  our  guests. 

The  cook  was  useless  half  the  time  with  rheuma- 
tism, so  that  I  had  not  only  all  the  work  to  do,  but 
her  to  attend  to  besides.  I  took  Jose  into  training 
when  the  maid  was  laid  up,  and  he  helped  me  in 
many  ways,  washing  dishes,  preparing  vegetables  for 
cooking,  etc. 

His  appearance  in  the  kitchen  would  have  been 
against  him  in  the  eyes  of  the  fastidious.  His  lank 
black  hair  fell  over  his  shoulders,  and  he  was  never 
without  his  hat,  but  I  did  not  interfere.  I  could  not 
cultivate  manners  and  the  culinary  art  at  the  same 
time  in  a  savage,  and  just  then  the  latter  was  more 
important  to  me  than  the  former,  and  I  said  nothing. 

Early  one  morning  I  found  him  in  the  kitchen, 
deeply  interested  in  preparing  something  for  break- 
fast ;  his  white  shirt  was  outside  of  his  trousers  and 
hung  far  below  his  short  blue  jacket,  which  was  orna- 
mented with  brass  buttons.  His  high  black  felt  hat 
was  on  his  head  as  usual,  and  below  it  streamed  the 


l6o  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

coarse  hair.  I  smiled  at  his  absurd  appearance,  of 
which  he  was  unconscious,  going  steadily  on  with  his 
work.  I  had  gone  into  the  kitchen  in  anything  but 
a  gay  mood,  with  the  prospect  before  me  of  cooking 
breakfast  for  a  number  of  strange  people,  but  at  the 
sight  of  Jose  my  spirits  rose. 

The  only  cook  I  could  find  to  replace  my  sick  one 
was  a  colored  woman  whose  right  hand  was  de- 
formed. I  tried  her,  but  that  hand,  with  her  lack  of 
cleanliness,  was  too  much  for  me,  and  I  concluded  I 
would  prefer  to  do  all  the  work  than  have  her  about 
me,  and  sent  her  ofT. 

As  the  plaster  dried  in  our  new  quarters  the  ceil- 
ings fell  one  by  one.  At  least  a  bushel  came  down 
one  night  on  my  maid  as  she  slept,  and  she  nearly 
roused  the  garrison  with  her  wild  shrieks,  although 
she  was  not  hurt  the  least  bit. 

One  day  I  had  cooked  a  dinner  for  a  family  of 
seventeen,  including  children.  It  was  on  the  table, 
and  I  was  putting  the  last  touches  to  it  preparatory 
to  retiring  to  the  kitchen.  I  could  not  sit  down  with 
my  guests  and  attend  to  matters  there  at  the  same 
time.  I  was  stooping  over  to  straighten  something 
when  I  heard  an  ominous  crack  above  my  head,  and, 
before  I  could  move,  down  fell  half  the  ceiling  on  my 
back  and  the  table,  filling  every  dish  with  plaster  to 
the  top.  The  guests  had  just  reached  the  dining- 
room  door  in  time  to  see  the  catastrophe,  and  finding 
I  was  unhurt  they  retired  until  the  debris  was  cleared 
away  and  a  second  dinner  prepared.  Fortunately,  I 
had  plenty  of  food  in  reserve,  and  it  was  soon  on  the 
table  and  disposed  of  by  my  friends  with  apparent 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  l6l 

relish.     I,  in  the  solitude  of  my  kitchen,  could  not  do 
justice  to  the  subject,  so  kept  quiet. 

You  will  see,  from  the  foregoing,  house-keeping  on 
the  frontier  had  its  drawbacks.  We  had  plenty  to  eat, 
such  as  it  was,  but  we  thought  it  not  always  dainty 
enough  to  set  before  our  visitors.  Our  friends  appre- 
ciated our  efforts  in  their  behalf;  but  we  entertained 
many  people  we  never  had  seen  before  and  never  met 
again.  Some  were  so  situated  that  they  could  have 
returned  our  hospitality  later,  but  they  never  did, 
nor  did  they  even  seem  aware  of  our  existence. 

We  are  told  to  take  in  the  stranger,  as  by  so  doing 
we  "  may  entertain  an  angel  unawares."  I  do  not 
think  that  class  of  guests  often  travelled  in  Texas 
and  New  Mexico,  at  least  while  I  was  out  there ;  if 
they  did,  their  visits  were  few  and  far  between,  and 
their  disguise  was  complete.  My  efforts  to  entertain 
an  old  friend  at  Fort  Union  cost  me  dear.  I  became 
overheated  in  the  kitchen  and  had  an  attack  of 
pleurisy,  which  left  me  with  a  cough  and  so  weak 
the  doctor  advised  me  to  go  to  Santa  Fe  for  a  rest 
and  change.  The  children  and  cook  were  to  go  with 
me ;  the  latter  was  better  and  able  to  work,  but  her 
exertions  were  not  sufficient  to  cause  a  relapse.  We 
took  some  bedding  and  the  mess-chest  with  us,  and 
hired  rooms  during  our  stay. 

As  Colonel  Lane  could  not  go  with  us,  we  left 
Union  with  a  cavalry  escort,  stopping  at  a  house 
every  night.  The  escort  of  a  sergeant  and  six  or 
eight  men  were  tried  and  trusty  soldiers,  in  whose 
care  we  were  perfectly  safe,  and  who  would  have 
stood  by  us  in  any  emergency. 
/  14* 


1 62  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

After  a  stay  of  a  month  or  six  weeks  in  Santa  Fe, 
I  was  quite  well,  and  we  returned  to  Fort  Union.  I 
made  two  visits  to  Santa  Fe  in  the  summer  of  1867, 
but  remained  only  a  few  days  each  time.  It  required 
eight  days  to  go  and  return,  four  each  way,  so  that  a 
two  weeks'  leave  from  home  soon  passed. 

The  drive  was  always  delightful  to  me,  taken  in  an 
ambulance,  with  a  team  of  four  fine  mules,  which 
were  quite  equal  to  performing  all  the  duties  re- 
quired of  them,  seeming  fully  to  understand  the  ne- 
cessity of  making  a  certain  number  of  miles  daily 
before  they  could  have  their  supper  of  corn  and  hay. 

The  escort  rode  in  front  at  a  moderate  gait;  the 
road  generally  was  excellent,  the  scenery  beautiful, 
and  at  times  grand.  The  breeze,  filled  with  the  odor 
of  pine-trees,  was  exhilarating  and  delicious, — you 
seemed  to  take  in  health  with  every  breath  of  the 
pure  air. 

One  morning  our  departure  from  the  town  where 
we  passed  the  night  was  delayed.  An  ambulance 
mule  was  reported  sick.  Remedies  were  given  him, 
and,  as  he  seemed  to  improve,  the  sergeant  thought 
he  was  able  to  travel,  and  for  a  while  we  bowled 
over  the  hard  road  at  a  lively  rate,  when,  without 
the  least  warning,  the  poor  little  mule  fell  dead ; 
he  never  stirred,  seeming  to  die  instantly.  When  it 
was  found  his  work  in  this  world  was  indeed  done,  it 
required  but  a  few  moments  to  cut  him  loose  from 
the  harness,  push  his  body  off  the  road,  hitch  up  a 
"  spike  team,"  which  means  three  instead  of  four 
animals,  one  in  the  lead  instead  of  two,  and  start 
again,  leaving  the  remains  of  our  faithful  servant  to 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  163 

feed  the  coyotes  and  vultures,  which  were  always  at 
hand.  The  death  of  a  mule  is  to  me  like  the  death 
of  a  friend,  and  I  do  not  believe  half  the  bad  tales 
told  of  him. 

Once,  when  going  from  Santa  Fe  to  Fort  Union, 
no  less  a  person  than  Kit  Carson — then  having  the 
rank  of  general — made  one  of  the  party. 

To  see  the  quiet,  reticent  man,  you  never  would 
dream  that  he  was  the  hero  of  so  many  romances. 
I  believe  he  would  rather  have  faced  a  whole  tribe  of 
hostile  Indians  than  one  woman,  he  was  so  diffident. 
But  had  she  required  assistance,  he  would  have  shed 
his  last  drop  of  blood  in  her  defence. 

We  travelled  and  ate  at  the  same  table  together  for 
three  or  four  days,  and  I  never  met  a  plainer,  more 
unpretentious  man  in  my  life.  One  morning  we  were 
breakfasting  in  a  room  which  had  been  occupied  the 
night  before  by  several  very  rough  men.  The  tin 
basins  which  held  water  for  their  morning  ablutions 
still  stood  about,  and  the  scanty  supply  of  towels 
adorned  the  chairs  and  tables. 

We  had  boiled  eggs  for  breakfast,  and  I  asked  the 
Mexican  girl  who  waited  upon  us  to  bring  me  a  cup. 
Without  the  least  hesitation  she  took  up  a  glass  the 
men  had  used,  seized  one  of  their  soiled  towels,  and 
began  to  polish  the  tumbler  with  it.  I  found  my 
appetite  had  gone,  and  I  ate  no  more  that  morning, 
and  Kit  Carson  smiled  quietly  at  my  look  of  disgust, 
no  doubt  wondering  that  such  a  trifle  could  prevent 
one  from  enjoying  a  hearty  breakfast. 

I  never  saw  him  again  after  we  reached  Fort  Union. 

We  had  a  pleasant  garrison  at  Fort  Union  in  the 


164  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

summer  of  1867.  There  was  a  chaplain  and  his 
family,  besides  other  charming  people. 

Every  Sunday  services  were  held  in  a  room  called 
a  chapel,  by  the  chaplain,  and  several  ladies,  I  among 
them,  made  the  music,  which  perhaps  was  not  the 
finest,  but  was  not  bad. 

The  small  melodeon  I  owned  was  sent  over  regu- 
larly for  the  use  of  the  choir.  As  we  wanted  extra 
good  music  for  Easter,  we  met  frequently  to  practise, 
and  to  one  chant  particularly  we  gave  much  attention, 
singing  it  over  and  over  many  times.  When  Easter 
Sunday  came  we  acquitted  ourselves  well,  until  the 
chant  we  had  practised  so  assiduously  was  to  be 
sung.  While  our  young  friend  at  the  melodeon  was 
playing,  and  it  was  time  to  begin,  the  soprano  whis- 
pered to  me  that  she  had  forgotten  her  part.  We 
had  no  note-books,  but  the  words  were  before  her, 
and  she  warbled,  unfalteringly,  sweetest  music  to  suit 
both  them  and  the  chords  of  the  melodeon. 

I  followed  her  lead,  and  do  not  believe  the  congre- 
gation knew  she  was  not  singing  as  it  was  written. 

She,  and  one  other  who  sang  that  day,  have  long 
since  joined  the  heavenly  choir. 

Late  in  the  summer  I  spent  much  time  making 
pickles  and  plum-jam  of  the  wild  fruit  that  grew 
abundantly  in  New  Mexico.  Delicious  as  they  were, 
it  was  decreed  we  were  not  to  eat  them. 

Colonel  Lane's  health,  which  had  not  been  good, 
became  worse,  and  the  doctor  told  him  he  must 
apply  for  a  leave  and  go  East.  It  was  a  great  sur- 
prise to  us  that  the  doctor  took  such  a  serious  view 
of  the  case,  but,  as  he  said  go,  we  obeyed. 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  165 


XXVI 

WE  had  not  been  particularly  comfortable  at  Fort 
Union,  but  we  were  sorry  to  leave.  We  liked  the 
old  log  quarters,  up  towards  the  hills,  much  better 
than  the  new  adobe  houses,  planted  right  down  on 
the  plain,  which  was  swept  by  the  winds  all  summer 
long.  How  they  did  howl !  About  ten  o'clock 
every  morning  they  woke  up,  and  whistled  and 
moaned,  and  rose  to  wild  shrieks,  doing  everything 
wind  ever  does  in  the  way  of  making  a  noise.  The 
fine,  impalpable  dust  worked  its  way  into  every  crack 
and  crevice,  lodging  round  the  windows  and  doors  in 
little  yellow  mounds,  so  that  we  could  sweep  up  a 
good-sized  dust-pan  full  after  the  wind  lulled,  which 
it  usually  did  at  sun-down.  Sometimes  it  blew  all 
night,  beginning  with  fresh  vigor  at  the  usual  time 
•next  morning.  Another  unpleasant  trick  the  breezes 
had  of  darting  playfully  down  the  chimney,  sending 
the  fire  and  ashes  half-way  across  the  room,  so  that 
we  had  to  be  on  guard  to  prevent  a  conflagration. 

As  soon  as  it  was  decided  we  must  leave,  we  made 
preparations  for  a  sale  of  such  things  as  we  did  not 
require  for  the  road.  My  house  was  usually  in  pretty 
good  order,  but  I  hired  a  man  to  come  daily  to  scrub 
and  scour  until  everything  shone.  I  was  well  aware 
how  all  the  articles  would  be  examined  by  my  army 


1 66  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

sisters  for  spots  and  specks,  and  I  was  determined 
they  should  find  neither. 

When  one  of  the  ladies  called  to  see  me  and  take 
notes,  I  was  quite  indignant  when  she  whispered  to 
me  to  remember  how  much  better  things  sold  "  when 
clean  /" 

We  had  no  cause  to  complain  of  the  prices  realized 
at  the  sale.  In  several  instances  things  brought  far 
more  than  they  were  worth.  Several  officers  began 
in  a  joke  to  bid  for  eleven  white  china  soup-plates, 
and  they  were  knocked  down  to  one  of  them  for 
twenty-two  dollars  !  Imagine  his  wife's  disgust  when 
she  heard  of  it.  All  bills  were  paid  promptly,  except 
where  some  citizens,  who  lived  a  long  distance  off, 
bought  a  few  articles,  took  them  away,  but  forgot  to 
return  and  settle  for  them. 

We  needed  all  the  money  we  could  raise  for  the 
expensive  journey  before  us.  It  required  a  great  deal 
to  travel  to  and  from  a  country  as  far  away  as  New 
Mexico,  and  to  have  such  an  expense  twice  in  one 
year  was  a  serious  drain  on  our  finances. 

It  is  almost  impossible  for  an  army  officer  to  save 
money.  His  pay  barely  suffices  for  his  monthly  ex- 
penses, and  he  feels  much  gratified  if  after  his  bills 
are  settled  he  has  anything  left  over. 

As  a  rule,  he  does  not  often  run  in  debt,  going 
without  things  for  which  he  cannot  pay.  There  are 
exceptions,  of  course,  but  I  am  speaking  of  those 
whom  I  know  and  officers  in  general.  Occasionally 
a  station  is  found  where  living  is  comparatively  cheap, 
and  he  enjoys  the  prospect  of  putting  by  part  of  his 
pay  in  the  village  bank  every  month.  But  before  he 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  l6/ 

becomes  entirely  accustomed  to  the  pleasure  of  being 
"a  bloated  bondholder,"  an  order  comes  sending 
him  from  Maine  to  California,  or  from  Oregon  to 
Florida. 

With  a  sigh  he  draws  his  year's  savings  from  the 
bank,  knowing  how  far  short  it  will  fall  when  travel- 
ling expenses  are  paid  out  of  the  amount  and  pro- 
vision made  for  Jimmie,  Margaret,  baby,  and  nurse, 
not  to  mention  Mrs.  Second  Lieutenant  Napoleon 
Smith. 

Poor  Second  Lieutenant  Napoleon  Smith  can  only 
hope  "  the  Lord  will  provide,"  and  he  does  seem  to, 
for  we  almost  always  find  the  lieutenant  and  family 
there  on  time,  however  it  is  accomplished. 

His  expenses  are  not  yet  ended:  the  change  of 
climate  necessitates  a  change  of  clothing,  and  by  the 
time  each  member  of  the  family  is  fitted  out,  the  ex- 
chequer is  more  than  exhausted,  and  he  is  obliged  to 
go  in  debt  for  a  while.  But  the  smiling  members  of 
Ketchem  &  Cheatham,  where  all  the  necessary  pur- 
chases are  made,  assure  the  nearly  demented  head 
of  the  family  they  are  always  ready  to  give  credit 
to  army  officers,  and  will  cheerfully  await  his  con- 
venience to  settle  his  bill,  and  there  is  nothing  for 
him  to  do  but  accept  their  offer,  much  as  the  debt 
disturbs  him.  Then  begins  a  system  of  economy  and 
pinching  until  the  last  dollar  is  paid,  and  Second 
Lieutenant  Napoleon  Smith  walks  proudly  away,  a 
free  man  once  more. 

The  day  came  at  last  when  all  was  ready  for  us  to 
leave  Fort  Union, — trunks  packed  and  locked,  the 
last  screws  put  into  the  lids  of  the  great  wooden 


1 68  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

chests,  the  wagons  loaded,  and  the  ambulance  at  the 
door. 

We  bade  our  motley  crowd  of  domestics  "  Adios." 
None  were  going  with  us.  Our  many  kind  friends 
came  to  wish  us  "  bon  voyage,"  and  we  were  off. 

My  sixth  journey  across  the  Plains  was  over  a  new 
route  to  us,  and  I  was  glad  of  any  variation  of  the 
scene  which  was  so  familiar  to  me.  Our  escort  was 
small,  considering  the  danger  we  ran  in  going  through 
a  country  full  of  Indians,  but  though  the  party  was 
not  large,  it  was  exceeding  wary  and  ever  on  the 
lookout. 

My  eyes,  from  long  practice,  were  as  keen  as  a 
frontiersman's,  and  nothing  escaped  them.  I  saw 
everything  unusual,  near  or  far.  A  dust,  a  little 
smoke,  an  animal  off  the  road,  all  came  in  for  its 
share  of  investigation  through  the  field-glass. 

Next  to  my  fear  of  Indians,  I  dreaded  crossing 
rivers  more  than  anything  else.  Some  of  the  fords 
were  reached  by  a  steep  and  dangerous  road,  leading 
from  the  top  of  a  bank  to  the  water's  edge,  down 
which  the  cautious  driver  guided  his  sure-footed 
team.  Sometimes  there  was  a  drop  of  a  foot  or  two 
from  the  bank  into  the  swift-running  stream.  Then 
I  clasped  my  hands  and  shut  my  eyes  tight,  but  never 
a  sound  escaped  me.  The  children  were  too  much 
absorbed  with  what  was  going  on  to  notice  me. 
With  shouts  and  yells  the  mules  were  rushed  through 
the  water,  men  on  horseback  riding  beside  them  to 
keep  them  in  the  track ;  the  air  was  blue  with  the 
profanity  thought  necessary  when  driving  mules. 

The  last  agony  was  in  the  effort  made  to  reach  the 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  169 

top  of  the  wet  and  slippery  straight-up-and-down 
bank  on  the  other  side,  and  this  feat  was  accomplished 
with  even  more  noise  than  before,  the  shouts  and 
cracking  of  whips  making  an  appalling  din. 

The  mules  seemed  to  enjoy  the  uproar,  and  could 
hardly  have  done  their  work  without  it.  I  think  they 
understood  perfectly  what  was  said  to  them,  they 
looked  so  knowing  and  sensible :  the  teamsters  always 
talked  to  them  as  if  they  were  human,  and  the  mule 
intimated  he  was  aware  of  what  was  said  and  would 
act  accordingly.  Did  you  ever  see  a  team  in  which 
there  was  not  a  Pete  or  John,  Bet,  Jane,  or  Kate  ? 

When  the  ambulance  stopped  at  the  top  of  the 
opposite  bank,  which  the  mules,  panting  and  half 
drowned,  managed  at  last  to  reach,  I  opened  my  eyes 
with  a  feeling  of  gratitude  that  one  stream,  at  least, 
had  been  safely  crossed. 

It  had  been  decided  that  our  best  route  East  would 
be  via  Denver.  The  road  ran  through  Trinidad, 
Pueblo,  and  Colorado  Springs,  all  small  settlements 
at  that  time.  The  scenery  in  Colorado  was  magnifi- 
cent, but  it  takes  a  more  gifted  pen  than  mine  to  tell 
of  the  wonderful  things  all  around  us.  I  was  far 
more  interested  just  then  in  avoiding  Indians,  and 
having  a  comfortable  place  where  we  could  pass  the 
night,  than  in  the  glories  of  Pike's  Peak  or  Garden 
of  the  Gods. 

We  usually  found  a  substantial  log  house  at  the 
end  of  our  day's  travel,  where  we  were  allowed  to 
stay  by  paying  for  the  room.  It  was  not  a  "  one- 
price"  country  then,  for  the  rates  charged  by  one 
man  were  no  guide  as  to  what  we  would  be  called 


I/O  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

upon  to  pay  next  night.  We  paid  but  fifty  cents  for 
lodgings  at  a  very  nice  house,  while  the  following 
day  six  dollars  was  not  thought  too  much  to  ask  for 
quarters  not  as  good.  Of  course  these  charges  were 
for  a  room  and  fire  only, — we  provided  our  own  beds 
and  meals. 

The  surroundings  of  the  houses  where  we  spent 
the  nights  were  most  picturesque, — groves  of  trees 
and  gigantic  rocks  of  singular  formation  were  to  be 
found  everywhere,  to  the  great  delight  of  the  children, 
who  were  tired  after  being  shut  up  in  the  ambulance 
so  many  hours  daily,  and  quite  ready  when  we 
stopped  to  have  a  good  romp  before  bedtime.  We 
found  them,  late  one  evening,  high  up  on  an  enormous 
pulpit-shaped  rock,  playing  church. 

We  reached  Denver  in  a  blinding  snow-storm,  and 
drove  to  the  best  hotel  in  the  city.  No  one  thought 
it  the  least  curious  to  see  us  arrive  in  a  four-mule 
ambulance,  followed  by  a  military  escort  and  several 
big  wagons.  As  I  remarked  before,  such  sights  were 
common  out  West. 

After  resting  a  day  or  two  in  Denver  we  started 
again,  making  for  the  end  of  the  railroad,  which  was 
somewhere  between  Cheyenne  and  Julesburg.  The 
prospect  of  exchanging  the  ambulance  and  tents  for 
a  Pullman  car  was  most  agreeable,  especially  as  the 
weather  was  cold  and  we  were  liable  to  have  snow- 
storms any  day. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


XXVII 

WE  were  greatly  disappointed  when  we  reached 
Cheyenne,  not  to  find  some  kind  of  hotel  or  lodging- 
house  where  we  could  be  accommodated.  Any 
shelter  from  the  wintry  blast  would  have  been  a  lux- 
ury,— anything  more  substantial  than  a  tent  to  keep 
out  the  bitter  cold.  There  was  every  prospect  of  a 
blizzard  by  night,  but  I  believe  that  name  had  not 
been  coined  then  to  suit  the  storm. 

The  only  thing  in  the  way  of  an  hotel  or  a  restau- 
rant in  the  town  was  a  long  building  of  boards,  ten 
or  twelve  feet  high,  surmounted  by  sloping  rafters 
covered  with  canvas,  which  formed  the  roof.  It  had 
been  used  originally  for  a  theatre,  but  I  suppose  a 
restaurant  was  more  necessary,  and  it  became  an 
eating-house.  Our  tents  were  pitched  just  outside 
of  it,  when  we  found  there  was  nothing  better  to  be 
done.  It  was  not  until  night,  after  the  children  had 
gone  to  bed,  that  the  storm  broke  upon  us  in  all  its 
fury.  The  tent  shook  violently  with  the  wind,  and 
in  a  little  while  the  outside  was  covered  with  a  sheet 
of  snow  and  ice.  With  all  that  was  going  on  out- 
side, you  may  imagine  the  inside  was  none  too  warm 
nor  comfortable,  and  the  colonel  thought  no  better 
time  could  be  found  to  open  a  bottle  of  fine  cham- 
pagne than  then.  It  was  done,  and  the  wine  poured 


172  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

into  two  tin  cups,  one  for  each.  No  ice  was  needed 
to  cool  it  that  night  It  was  the  best  champagne  I 
ever  tasted  in  my  life,  I  think. 

The  storm  grew  worse,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  tent 
must  fall  upon  us.  The  colonel  determined  to  go 
again  into  the  restaurant  and  ask  if  they  could  not  in 
some  way  accommodate  us,  as  it  was  really  unsafe  to 
remain  where  we  were.  The  family  occupying  the 
building  insisted  it  was  impossible  to  do  anything  for 
us.  Husband  after  that  took  matters  into  his  own 
hands,  and  carried  the  children  in,  I  following.  As 
soon  as  I  caught  my  breath,  after  my  rush  through 
the  gale  and  sleet,  I  took  in  an  amazing  picture. 

On  what  had  been  the  stage  of  the  theatre,  with 
the  rough  scenery  all  about  her,  sat  a  pleasant-look- 
ing woman  placidly  sewing  beside  a  bright  light,  and 
with  her  foot  rocking  a  cradle  in  which  was  a  young 
baby.  She  seemed  perfectly  at  home  amid  the  indigo- 
blue  clouds,  frowning  castles,  and  vivid  green  daubs 
supposed  to  resemble  trees. 

When  we  were  actually  in  the  place  there  was 
nothing  more  to  be  said,  and  the  woman,  who  did 
not  seem  at  all  disconcerted  by  our  abrupt  entrance, 
began  at  once  to  see  what  arrangements  she  could 
make  for  us. 

Below  the  stage,  and  off  to  one  side  of  it,  was  a 
bedstead  standing  on  a  platform  just  large  enough 
to  hold  it.  I  suppose  there  was  no  floor  in  the 
building,  and  that  is  why  the  bed  stood  on  a  few 
boards.  All  was  surrounded  by  canvas,  painted 
to  represent  a  red-brick  wall,  with  a  massive  door, 
also  painted,  on  the  side.  One  bed  was  all  they 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

could  give  us ;  likely  it  was  usually  occupied  by  sev- 
eral members  of  the  family.  Even  had  we  brought 
in  our  own,  there  was  no  place  to  put  it.  Some  fur 
robes  and  blankets  were  laid  under  the  bedstead  for 
the  children,  the  only  spot  there  was. 

I  took  the  youngest  with  me,  and  the  other  two 
crawled  into  their  uncomfortable  furry  nest,  not  the 
least  disturbed  by  their  peculiar  resting-place.  The 
colonel  remained  in  the  tent,  on  guard,  all  night. 
An  attempt  was  made  to  steal  the  mules,  and  had  he 
not  been  on  the  spot  it  would  have  been  successful. 

We  remained  in  the  restaurant  some  days  before 
leaving  Cheyenne.  Although  the  badly-built  shanty 
was  not  much  protection  against  the  intensely  cold 
weather,  we  could  get  our  meals  there,  which  was 
better  than  having  to  look  after  the  cooking  of  them 
myself. 

Our  next  move  was  from  Cheyenne  to  the  end 
of  the  railroad,  where  we  parted  with  the  escort,  am- 
bulance, etc.,  and  took  passage  on  a  freight- train, 
occupying  the  caboose,  which  was  to  take  us  to 
Julesburg,  where  we  would  find  the  regular  train  and 
a  Pullman  car. 

The  night  we  passed  in  the  caboose  was  an  uneasy 
one.  We  came  to  a  halt  for  hours,  and  I  overheard 
a  man  ask  another  what  caused  the  detention.  His 
Job's  comforter  told  him  the  Indians  had  torn  up  the 
track  some  miles  ahead,  which  turned  out  to  be 
untrue;  but  that  trouble  was  always  apprehended 
was  apparent  from  the  stacks  of  firearms  on  all 
trains. 

The  sight  of  a  passenger-train  was  delightful,  and 
15* 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

in  the  sleeper  we  found  Lieutenant  John  W.  Bubb 
and  wife,  just  from  Fort  Fetterman,  and  going  East 
on  leave.  Their  experiences  at  that  extremely  iso- 
lated fort  were  thrilling,  with  hostile  Indians  always 
so  close  it  was  scarcely  safe  to  go  out  of  doors. 

We  travelled  to  Omaha  together,  and  no  back- 
woodsman ever  enjoyed  a  first  car-ride  more  than  we 
did  the  one  we  were  then  taking  in  the  comfortable 
Pullman,  after  our  late  camping  in  the  cold. 

At  Omaha  we  rested  several  days,  Colonel  Lane 
being  quite  broken  down. 

Mrs.  Bubb  and  I,  woman-like,  went  out  to  see  the 
fashions,  and  took  a  look  at  some  bonnets  "just  from 
the  East,  very  latest  styles,"  we  were  told.  It  had 
been  so  long  since  we  needed  a  bonnet,  or  had  seen 
one  of  the  "  latest/'  we  were,  of  course,  much  in- 
terested. We  took  up  one,  but  could  not  tell  front 
from  back.  The  Fanchon  was  worn  then,  and  was  a 
puzzle  to  an  uneducated  mind.  After  what  we  saw, 
we  decided  that  we  did  not  care  for  a  bonnet  until 
we  reached  home. 

When  Colonel  Lane  was  better  we  started  again. 
At  the  time  of  which  I  write  there  were  no  "  buffet 
cars,"  nor  even  regular  eating-houses  on  our  route. 
Sometimes  notice  was  given  that  at  the  next  station 
"  twenty  minutes  for  dinner"  would  be  allowed.  We 
always  carried  our  camp  lunch-box  with  us,  full  of 
provisions,  not  particularly  good,  but  well  enough  to 
quiet  the  pangs  of  hunger.  We  found  it  useless  and 
expensive  to  try  to  take  the  children  to  a  twenty- 
minute  meal;  by  the  time  they  had  looked  about 
them,  it  was  too  late  to  eat  anything,  so  we  gave  it 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  175 

up.  The  colonel,  usually,  was  the  only  one  who  left 
the  cars  to  get  a  meal,  but  he  went  armed  with  a 
towel  and  tin  coffee-pot,  arid,  after  hurrying  through 
his  dinner,  brought  us  more  provisions  than  we  could 
possibly  dispose  of.  He,  poor  man,  never  had  a 
"  square  meal"  when  we  travelled,  but  we  could  sup- 
ply all  deficiencies  from  what  he  provided  for  us. 

When  everything  was  ready  for  our  luncheon, 
spread  out  as  it  was  on  the  seats  of  the  car,  we  ate  it 
comfortably,  utterly  indifferent  as  to  what  other  pas- 
sengers thought  or  said.  They  stared  at  us,  and  no 
doubt  took  us  for  foreign  emigrants.  I  dare  say  our 
appearance  was  singular,  our  clothes  unfashionable, 
and  faces  weather-beaten. 

We  remained  a  year  in  the  East,  and  before  return- 
ing to  the  frontier  placed  our  eldest  daughter  at 
school,  there  being  no  good  ones  in  New  Mexico, 
except  the  convent  in  Santa  Fe,  where  we  did  not 
care  to  send  her.  So  our  little  family  circle  was 
broken.  It  was  dreadful  to  put  a  whole  month  be- 
tween her  and  us,  but  it  had  to  be  done. 

In  November,  1868,  we  left  for  New  Mexico,  via 
Texas.  It  was  the  only  route  practicable  just  then, 
for  the  Indians  on  the  Plains  were  very  hostile,  and 
too  late  in  the  year,  besides,  to  attempt  to  travel  with 
children  in  the  latitude  where  snow  came  so  early. 

We  halted  a  day  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  then 
took  a  sleeper  through  to  New  Orleans,  hoping  to 
catch  a  steamer  for  Galveston  the  morning  after  our 
arrival. 

But  no  one  seemed  to  be  in  a  hurry  but  us,  and 
several  cars  loaded  with  mules  were  attached  to  our 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

train,  in  consequence  of  which  we  were  nineteen 
hours  late,  and  had  to  wait  in  New  Orleans  two  days 
before  another  ship  left  for  Texas.  We  stayed  at  the 
St.  Charles  Hotel  until  she  sailed,  when  we  went 
aboard  of  her,  and  I  crossed  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  for 
the  third  time. 

Not  being  at  all  fond  of  "  bounding  over  the  glad 
waters  of  the  dark  blue  sea,"  I  was  pleased  to  reach 
Galveston,  then  a  pretty  town  of  many  white  houses 
with  green  "  blinds,"  the  gardens  filled  with  oleanders 
and  orange-trees.  As  one  of  the  children  was  in- 
disposed, we  remained  several  days.  From  Galves- 
ton to  Houston  we  travelled  by  boat,  and  from 
Houston  to  Brenham  on  a  wretched  railroad,  the 
only  one  in  Texas. 

We  met  a  gentleman  and  his  wife  from  Philadel- 
phia, en  route  to  San  Antonio,  seeking  health ;  but 
they  found  so  much  discomfort  at  the  stopping- 
places, — there  were  no  "  hotels," — that  they  almost 
decided  to  give  up  the  trip.  But  at  Brenham  we 
were  able  to  charter  a  stage,  so  that  we  need  not 
travel  at  night,  and  were  more  comfortable. 

The  roads  were  in  a  dreadful  condition,  as  much 
rain  had  fallen  recently,  and  it  was  often  late  at  night 
when  we  stopped.  The  houses  were  so  open  to  the 
winds  that  blew,  we  had  to  protect  ourselves  as  well 
as  we  could  from  them  by  tacking  up  shawls  and 
blankets  around  the  beds. 

At  a  small  lodging-place  we  found  but  one  room 
with  fire.  There  were  two  beds  in  it,  and  as  that 
was  all  to  be  had,  we  took  one,  and  our  friends  the 
other.  Imagine  their  horror  when  told  we  must 


1  MARRIED  A    SOLDIER.  1 77 

share  the  same  apartment !  As  it  was  by  no  means 
our  first  experience  at  being  so  situated,  we  were  not 
shocked  in  the  least.  We  had  many  a  quiet  laugh 
over  the  evident  unhappiness  of  the  Philadelphians  at 
such  very  close  quarters. 

Next  day,  when  we  drove  up  to  a  house  of  enter- 
tainment, we  found  the  host  and  his  family  cowering 
over  a  fire,  doors  open  and  windows  broken,  although 
it  was  raining  and  cold. 

Not  a  place  about  the  house  had  been  put  to  rights 
since  having  been  occupied  the  night  before,  and  only 
when  we  arrived  and  wanted  rooms  did  they  make 
an  effort  to  put  them  in  order. 

We  were  so  exhausted  by  the  time  everything 
was  ready,  we  had  no  spirit  left  to  cavil  at  small 
discomforts. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


XXVIII 

THE  following  day  we  landed  at  the  "Avenue 
Hotel,"  in  Austin,  the  best  there  was  at  that  time, 
but  our  room  was  cheerless, — no  carpet,  two  beds, 
wash-stand,  stove,  table  without  a  cover,  and  a  few 
hide-bottom  chairs.  The  fare  was  good  and  clean, 
and  prices  very  high. 

A  wet  norther  struck  the  town  in  a  day  or  two,  and 
everything  was  flooded.  The  water  leaked  through 
the  ceiling  of  our  room,  falling  on  the  beds,  and  we 
were  awakened  in  the  night  by  the  baby  calling  for 
"  a  rumella,  'cause  it  was  wainin'."  The  storm  ceased 
next  morning,  and  the  waters  subsided,  which  was 
fortunate ;  the  town  was  inundated,  roads  impassable 
from  washouts,  and  the  streets  torn  up  by  the  mighty 
deluge  that  rushed  through  them,  losing  itself  in  the 
river  below  the  town. 

We  met  many  army  people  stationed  in  Texas  that 
winter ;  some  of  the  ladies  knew  everything  there  was 
to  be  learned  on  matters  military.  They  made  us 
smile  at  the  extent  of  their  wisdom.  I  felt  old  fogy 
among  them,  and  concluded  I  was  the  one  who  knew 
nothing.  Many  women  spoke  of  "  our  regiment" 
and  "  our  troop"  (or  company),  as  if  they  had  com- 
mand. I  found  I  was  far  behind  the  times,  believing, 
as  I  always  had,  that  the  less  a  woman  knew  of 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  I/Q 

military  affairs,  and  what  went  on  in  garrison,  the 
better  for  all. 

General  and  Mrs.  Canby  were  there  also ;  I  had 
not  seen  them  since  we  left  Santa  Fe  in  1861.  She 
was  a  lovely,  cultivated  woman,  with  plenty  of  good 
common  sense,  and  admired  by  all. 

We  remained  a  month  in  Austin,  waiting  for  news 
of  our  carnage  and  furniture,  shipped  from  Philadel- 
phia to  Indianola,  Texas.  At  the  end  of  that  time 
we  heard  the  vessel  had  arrived,  and  that  our  goods 
had  been  sent  to  San  Antonio.  So  we  said  good-by 
to  our  friends,  and  in  a  broken-down  ambulance,  with 
a  team  of  four  mules  to  correspond,  we  left  for  San 
Antonio.  A  weary,  dismal  drive  we  had  for  four 
days,  through  oceans  of  water  and  rivers  of  mud. 

Perhaps  some  of  you  have  ridden  all  day  in  a  leaky 
ambulance  through  the  cold  rain,  the  tired  mules 
ready  to  give  out  at  any  moment  while  making 
desperate  efforts  to  pull  you  through  mud  up  to  the 
wheel-hubs.  Did  you  like  it  ? 

The  driver  had  no  overcoat,  and  suffered  in  conse- 
quence. The  colonel  was  too  sick  to  assist  with  the 
mules  as  he  usually  did,  so  he  kept  the  man  warm 
internally  with  frequent  doses  of  brandy,  to  which 
he  did  not  object,  nor  did  he  once  make  a  wry  face 
at  the  medicine. 

When  at  last  we  caught  a  glimpse  of  San  Antonio 
we  were  much  relieved,  and  more  so  when  we  were 
comfortably  fixed  at  the  Menger  Hotel.  It  was  some 
time  before  the  wagon-train  arrived  from  the  coast 
with  our  property,  and  we  had  ample  time  to  adver- 
tise for  servants  who  would  go  with  us  to  New  Mex- 


ISO  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER, 

ico.  A  colored  man  and  woman  applied  for  the  place, 
and  we  were  obliged  to  take  them.  Could  we  have 
read  the  future,  he  and  she  would  have  remained  in 
San  Antonio  unto  this  day,  as  far  as  we  were  con- 
cerned. 

February  3,  1869,  we  left  San  Antonio  for  Fort 
Bliss,  where  Colonel  Lane  expected  to  find  orders 
assigning  him  to  a  post  in  New  Mexico.  Our  route 
was  over  a  part  of  Texas  we  had  not  travelled  before. 
One  hundred  and  fifteen  miles  from  San  Antonio  was 
Fort  Mason,  a  small  but  pretty  post,  not  then  garri- 
soned. Fort  Concho  came  next,  a  new  post,  still 
unfinished.  It  was  built  on  the  prairie,  and  struck 
me  as  gloomy  in  the  extreme.  Here  we  were  for- 
tunate enough  to  meet  that  good  fellow  "  Jakey  Gor- 
don," whose  quarters  were  immediately  turned  over 
to  us.  They  were  of  canvas,  but  larger  than  ordi- 
nary wall-tents,  stretched  over  a  frame,  roomy  and 
comfortable.  The  water  at  the  fort  was  bad,  and  the 
heat  in  summer  almost  insupportable. 

Between  Fort  Concho  and  Fort  Stockton  we  crossed 
a  part  of  "  Llano  Estacado,"  or  "  Staked  Plain,"  in- 
expressibly dreary,  and,  but  for  the  buffalo  hunts, 
desolate  and  uninteresting ;  but  we  had  plenty  of  ex- 
citement when  the  horsemen  went  out  after  the  huge, 
awkward  animals,  driving  them  close  to  the  road,  so 
that  we  saw  the  chase  and  were  almost  in  at  the 
death.  I  preferred  to  be  safely  in  the  carriage  when 
a  herd  of  buffalo  was  at  hand,  and  saw  all  I  cared  to 
from  my  coigne  of  vantage.  After  the  buffalo  was 
killed  the  great  carcass  was  cut  up  and  stowed  in  one 
of  the  wagons  until  camp  was  reached,  when  all  who 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  l8l 

wanted  fresh  meat  were  supplied.  To  me  it  was  tough 
as  leather  and  uninviting.  They  told  me  I  did  not 
have  a  good  piece  and  that  I  must  try  the  hump, 
which  was  said  to  be  very  tender.  I  had  eaten  some 
of  the  hump,  or  attempted  to  do  so,  with  no  better 
success ;  the  more  I  chewed  the  larger  it  grew.  The 
children  and  colonel  managed  to  get  rid  of  their 
portion  and  professed  to  enjoy  it,  but  my  opinion 
never  changed.  The  tongue  was  tender,  but  no  other 
part  that  I  ever  tried. 

The  Pecos  River  was  between  us  and  Fort  Stock- 
ton, and,  on  account  of  the  quicksands,  dangerous  to 
ford.  When  we  reached  "  Horsehead  Crossing"  one 
Sunday  morning,  it  was  thought  safest  for  the  chil- 
dren and  me,  and  my  valuable  maid,  to  ride  over  in 
one  of  the  wagons,  as  the  ambulance,  being  compar- 
atively light,  was  likely  to  upset  or  float  down  stream, 
either  of  which  would  have  been  disagreeable.  Ropes 
were  tied  to  the  wheels  and  held  by  mounted  men, 
but  even  then  it  rolled  from  side  to  side,  so  that  I  did 
not  care  to  look  at  it  until  it  was  safely  on  the  other 
bank. 

The  sheet  on  one  of  the  heavy  wagons  was  thrown 
back,  and  we  mounted  to  the  top  of  the  load.  The 
colonel  disposed  of  all  surplus  clothing  and  his 
boots,  taking  up  a  position  on  the  tongue  of  the 
wagon,  to  be  ready  in  case  of  emergency. 

Then  came  the  plunge  into  the  treacherous,  rapid 
stream,  and  the  wagon  trembled  and  careened  as  it 
struck  the  quicksands.  The  teamsters  coaxed  and 
scolded,  urged  and  swore  at  the  mules,  to  prevent 
them  stopping  short  of  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 

16 


1 82  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

I  shut  my  eyes,  and  ears  too.  In  the  same  team 
some  of  the  mules  were  almost  out  of  the  water  while 
others  were  nearly  under  it,  caused  by  the  quicksand 
shifting  and  changing  position,  thus  making  the  cross- 
ing unsafe. 

I  could  not  help  thinking  what  a  sight  we  should 
have  been  that  beautiful  Sunday  morning  to  our  East- 
ern friends,  then  quietly  seated  in  church,  if  they 
could  have  watched  us  fording  the  Pecos  River.  If 
they  had  not  known  who  we  were,  they  would  never 
have  recognized  us,  dressed  for  camping,  and  riding 
emigrant  fashion,  in  a  wagon. 

We  were  seven  days  going  from  Fort  Concho  to 
Fort  Stockton,  where  we  arrived  cold  and  tired. 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  Wade  came  to  our  relief,  and  enter- 
tained us  while  we  stayed  at  the  post. 

One  day  a  pet  prairie-dog  attacked  Mrs.  Wade's 
young  baby  during  the  absence  of  the  family  from 
the  room :  it  climbed  up  on  the  bed  and  scratched 
the  little  face  and  head.  The  child's  cries  brought 
the  mother  and  everybody  from  the  dining-table,  and 
there  sat  the  small  animal  by  the  baby,  tearing  the 
tender  flesh  with  its  needle-like  claws.  It  had  never 
seemed  vicious  before,  and  never  had  an  opportu- 
nity to  be  so  again. 

Fort  Stockton  had  improved  wonderfully  since  my 
sister  and  I  did  our  washing  there,  on  a  Sunday 
morning,  ten  years  before,  but  I  did  not  care  to  stay 
long. 

At  Fort  Davis  we  remained  a  day,  to  rest  and  put 
everything  in  order.  Our  man,  the  incomparable 
colored  one  who  came  with  us  from  San  Antonio, 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  183 

took  that  opportunity  to  clean  and  load  his  revolver, 
when,  without  warning,  it  went  off,  cutting  a  hole  in 
the  felt  hat  he  wore.  If  the  ball  had  stopped  short 
of  the  hat  it  might  have  been  bad  for  William,  but 
the  world  would  have  had  one  rascal  the  less.  There 
was  a  heavy  snow-storm  that  day,  which  made  camp 
more  than  unpleasant. 

In  the  Limpia  Canon,  or  Wild  Rose  Pass,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Fort  Davis,  there  was  some  beautiful 
scenery.  I  cannot  now  remember  just  how  far  from 
the  fort  this  dangerous  pass  was,  but  it  had  always 
been  a  noted  hiding-place  for  Indians,  and  many  a 
careless  traveller  had  cause  to  repent  his  lack  of  vigi- 
lance while  going  through  it.  Indeed,  the  whole  road 
from  Limpia  Canon  to  Fort  Quitman  had  been  the 
scene  of  repeated  tragedies.  Only  a  month  before  we 
passed  over  it,  the  stage,  carrying  a  passenger  and 
the  United  States  mail,  had  been  attacked  by  Indians, 
the  driver  killed,  and  Judge  Hubbell,  a  man  well 
known  in  Texas  and  New  Mexico,  either  murdered  or 
captured ;  the  mail  was  cut  to  pieces  and  the  coach 
destroyed.  A  wooden  cross,  with  his  name  upon  it, 
marked  the  spot  where  the  body  of  the  driver  was 
found.  The  date  "January,  1869,"  was  also  cut 
upon  the  cross. 

It  made  me  shudder  to  think  what  a  short  time 
had  elapsed  since  that  desperate,  hopeless  struggle 
took  place,  two  brave  men  fighting  for  life  against  an 
unknown  number  of  devils. 

I  was  riding  in  the  buggy  one  day  when  the  guard 
came  up  to  report  that  a  number  of  Indians  had  been 
seen  not  far  away.  I  was  ordered  into  the  ambulance, 


1 84  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

and  hasty  preparations  were  made  to  give  them  a 
proper  reception,  should  they  attempt  to  attack  us ; 
but  they,  like  ourselves,  perhaps,  assumed  the  defen- 
sive, rather  than  the  aggressive.  The  Indian  rarely 
made  war  unless  certain  of  victory,  which  he  followed 
up  with  untold  atrocities. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  185 


XXIX 

ON  the  day  the  Indians  were  seen  we  were  to  reach 
Eagle  Spring,  a  spot  where  many  bloody  battles  had 
been  fought  between  white  men  and  Indians.  It  was 
the  usual  camp-ground,  as  no  water  was  found  again 
until  we  reached  the  Rio  Grande,  thirty  miles  away. 

The  spring  was  some  distance  up  a  gorge,  at  the 
foot  of  a  mountain ;  the  ground  was  rough  and  rocky, 
so  that  any  number  of  Indians  could  hide  until  an 
opportunity  arrived  to  make  an  attack.  Small  par- 
ties camped  on  the  plain,  beside  the  road,  and,  with 
sentinels  out  to  keep  watch,  drove  the  animals  to  the 
spring  for  water  and  then  back  to  camp. 

Our  horses  and  mules  were  watered,  then  hitched 
up  and  driven  ten  miles  farther,  when  a  dry  camp  was 
made  for  the  night,  thus  taking  ten  miles  off  our  next 
day's  march  of  thirty  miles  to  the  Rio  Grande.  It 
was  very  late,  and  all  were  busy  in  various  ways,  and 
preparations  were  made  to  secure  the  camp  against 
any  attack  the  Indians  might  make. 

The  mules  were  turned  out  for  what  grazing  they 
could  find  before  being  fastened  to  the  wagons  for 
the  night.  After  a  while  it  was  discovered  that  they 
with  the  herders  and  sentinels  were  getting  too  far 
from  camp,  and  orders  were  sent  for  them  to  come 
in  at  once. 

16* 


1 86  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

When  our  tents  were  in  order  we  called  the  chil- 
dren, who  had  a  few  moments  before  been  playing 
close  by.  Only  one  responded;  the  boy  was  no- 
where to  be  seen.  For  a  little  while  there  was  great 
consternation ;  the  camp  was  searched,  but  without 
avail ;  it  began  to  look  as  if  he  had  been  spirited  away 
in  the  darkness.  Just  when  the  excitement  was  be- 
coming too  intense  to  bear,  the  mules  were  driven  in, 
and  there,  sitting  in  front  of  one  of  the  herders,  with 
a  great  whip  in  his  hand,  was  the  child,  radiantly 
happy,  and  evidently  believing  he  had  charge  of  the 
herd.  But  there  were  no  more  expeditions  of  that 
kind  made  without  our  express  permission.  A  little 
child  in  camp  or  garrison  could  always  do  as  it 
pleased  with  the  men,  no  matter  how  rough  the  latter 
might  be.  Had  anything  happened  to  that  baby  boy, 
every  man  there  would  have  given  his  life  for  the 
child. 

When  we  sighted  the  Rio  Grande,  five  miles  below 
Fort  Quitman,  a  sense  of  relief  took  the  place  of  my 
recent  uneasiness  and  fear ;  and  when  we  drove  into 
the  forlorn  and  tumble-down  adobe-built  fort,  I 
wanted  to  greet  everybody  as  a  friend  and  brother. 
The  troops  stationed  there  were  colored,  and  as  we 
passed  the  guard-house  I  noticed  a  sergeant  in  full 
dress,  jumping  rope !  I  felt  rather  shocked  to  see  a 
soldier  in  uniform  so  disporting  himself,  but  con- 
cluded if  any  one  at  Quitman  could  feel  cheerful 
enough  to  enjoy  so  innocent  a  pastime  he  was  to  be 
congratulated. 

From  Quitman  to  Fort  Bliss  the  journey  was  com- 
paratively a  safe  one.  There  were  several  Mexican 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  l8/ 

settlements,  and  the  wretched  huts  were  objects  of 
interest,  especially  when  their  occupants  turned  out 
to  look  at  us  ;  the  life  about  the  villages,  still  as  it  was, 
was  pleasant.  We  had  not  seen  a  living  thing,  ex- 
cept at  the  garrisons  through  which  we  passed,  be- 
yond a  prairie-dog  or  an  occasional  crow  and  some 
Indians  in  the  distance,  since  we  left  the  Staked 
Plains,  where  vast  herds  of  buffalo  were  grazing  on 
every  side,  happy  in  their  freedom  and  roaming  over 
the  unsettled  country  for  hundreds  of  miles. 

It  seemed  to  me  I  knew  every  stone  and  bush  on 
the  lonely  road  from  Fort  Davis  to  the  Rio  Grande, 
and  I  think  even  yet  I  would  remember  some  of  them. 

It  would  be  a  pleasure  to  me  to  travel  that  route 
now  in  a  palace  car  on  the  railroad,  dashing  over 
those  dreary  camp-grounds,  with  whistles  shriek- 
ing and  headlights  blazing,  waking  the  echoes  and 
illuminating  the  country  far  and  wide.  For  when 
we  travelled  with  small  parties  we  were  afraid  to 
speak  loud,  or  have  a  fire  or  light,  lest  we  attract  the 
attention  of  the  Indians,  never  far  away. 

That  time  has  gone  forever,  and  those  tedious 
marches  need  not  be  made  again.  I  always  enjoyed 
them  when  our  escort  was  sufficiently  large  to  give 
a  feeling  of  perfect  security,  but  more  often  than  not 
they  were  too  small,  and  the  risks  we  ran  were  very 
great,  but  there  seemed  to  be  no  help  for  it,  and  I 
suffered  mentally  in  consequence.  You  will  think  I 
was  a  dreadful  coward ;  but  put  yourself  in  my  place, 
you  woman,  and  would  you  have  felt  any  braver  than 
I  did  ?  When  brought  face  to  face  with  danger, 
as  I  have  been  on  more  than  one  occasion,  I  flatter 


1 88  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

myself  I  behaved  pretty  well,  being  outwardly,  at 
least,  very  cool  and  quiet.  What  I  felt  need  not  be 
mentioned  here. 

The  Fort  Bliss  of  1869  was  not  the  one  we  knew 
and  enjoyed  so  much.  Great  inroads  had  been  made 
by  the  Rio  Grande:  some  of  the  buildings  were 
washed  away,  so  that  the  old  post  was  abandoned, 
and  the  garrison  moved  to  quarters  a  mile  away. 
Our  old  house  still  stood,  but  the  roof  had  fallen  in. 
The  others  were  masses  of  crumbling  adobe.  What 
changes  had  taken  place  since  we  were  all  so  happy 
there  a  few  years  before ! 

We  remained  a  day  or  two  at  Bliss,  until  Colonel 
Lane's  orders  were  received,  to  proceed  to  Fort  Sel- 
den,  New  Mexico,  and  take  command.  It  was  a  new 
post,  since  the  war,  not  far  from  Fort  Fillmore. 

We  had  been  thirty-four  days  on  the  road  from 
San  Antonio  to  Fort  Bliss,  but  we  only  travelled 
twenty-nine  of  them ;  the  other  five  were  spent  at  the 
forts  en  route,  for  rest,  repairs,  etc. 

On  our  way  to  Fort  Selden  we  passed  within  sight 
of  old  Fort  Fillmore.  As  far  as  we  could  discover, 
the  adobe  quarters  had  returned  to  the  dust  of  which 
they  were  made ;  not  one  house  was  left  standing. 

Our  new  station  was  a  quiet,  rather  unattractive 
place,  garrisoned  by  one  company  of  colored  infan- 
try and  one  of  white  cavalry.  The  commanding 
officer's  quarters  were  not  nearly  finished.  I  believe 
there  were  only  four  rooms  ready  when  we  arrived, 
but  they  were  larger  and  better  than  a  tent,  and  we 
were  not  long  in  getting  into  them.  The  house  was 
square,  built  of  adobe,  with,  if  I  remember  aright,  four 


/  MARRIED  A  SOLDIER.  189 

rooms  on  each  side  of  a  wide  hall.  Our  porch  was 
of  brush  laid  across  poles,  and  supported  by  the  same, 
— a  fine  harbor  for  snakes,  scorpions,  and  such  things, 
but  they  did  not  annoy  us  much.  There  were  four 
ladies  there,  none  of  whom  are  now  in  the  army. 
They  were  not  friendly  with  each  other,  but  I,  coming 
as  a  stranger  among  them,  was  kindly  received,  and 
we  lived  most  harmoniously  together  as  long  as  we 
remained.  It  was,  indeed,  a  dull  little  place. 

We  owned  horses,  mules,  and  vehicles  of  various 
kinds,  but  on  account  of  Indians  it  was  unsafe  to  ride 
a  mile  from  the  post ;  and  when  we  drove  as  far  as  we 
dared  go,  there  was  always  a  loaded  revolver  in  the 
carriage.  We  rode  a  good  deal,  notwithstanding,  in 
our  light  buggy,  with  a  horse  that  could  outrun  any 
that  an  Indian  was  likely  to  own. 

That  summer  I  determined  to  make  butter  and 
raise  chickens,  and  I  succeeded  remarkably  well, 
considering  all  things.  I  do  not  believe  the  famous 
butter-makers  of  Pennsylvania  could  have  done  any 
better  than  I  did  under  the  circumstances.  There 
was  no  ice,  remember,  and  no  cool,  sparkling  spring 
at  hand.  I  took  care  of  the  milk  myself,  saving  all 
the  cream  I  could  spare  for  the  butter.  The  cows 
were  not  the  best,  but  good  for  that  country.  My 
churn  was  primitive, — only  a  large  stone  jar,  which 
held  about  three  gallons.  A  soldier-carpenter  made 
the  top  and  dasher  of  pine  wood,  and  a  rough  job  it 
was. 

The  water  we  used  at  Fort  Selden  was  brought 
fresh  every  morning  from  the  muddy  Rio  Grande,  and 
emptied  into  barrels  kept  for  the  purpose.  It  was 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

of  the  color  of  rich  chocolate.  To  settle  enough  for 
drinking,  it  was  poureb!  into  large,  porous  earthen 
jars,  holding  several  gallons  each.  By  degrees  the 
impurities  sank  to  the  bottom  of  the  jar,  and  the 
water  oozed  through  it,  keeping  the  contents  quite 
cool. 

Ours  were  covered  with  pieces  of  blanket  which 
retained  the  moisture,  and  they  were  placed  on  a 
bench  in  which  holes  were  cut  for  the  purpose  of 
holding  them.  This  bench  was  kept  in  the  shadiest, 
coolest  spot  to  be  found ;  but  the  weather  at  Selden 
was  very  hot,  so  that  the  water  was  not  often  what 
one  would  desire.  It  was  the  best  we  had,  though, 
to  wash  and  cool  the  butter,  which  sometimes  was 
like  oil  when  freshly  churned.  Frequently  I  found 
it  impossible  to  separate  the  butter  and  milk.  I  would 
then  put  the  jar  aside  for  the  night,  and  next  day  in 
the  cool  of  the  morning  I  finished  my  dairy  work. 

Years  ago  I  heard  that  all  the  butter  procurable 
at  army  posts  in  Arizona  had  to  be  poured  from  a 
bottle,  so  it  seems  people  there  were  worse  off  than 
we  were  in  New  Mexico,  and  had  fewer  advantages. 

In  about  four  months,  under  many  difficulties,  I 
made  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  butter, 
a  good  deal  of  which  I  packed  down  for  future  use. 

The  man  and  woman  we  took  with  us  from  San 
Antonio  were  worthless;  it  seems  there  had  been 
some  love-making  between  them,  and  the  opportunity 
offered  them  by  us  to  see  the  world  and  visit  pastures 
new  was  not  to  be  despised.  Before  we  reached 
Selden  the  man  was  discharged  for  theft,  and  the 
maid  might  have  been  sent  off  for  the  same  reason, 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  191 

but  there  was  not  another  woman  to  be  hired,  so  I 
was  obliged  to  keep  her.  She  was  amiable,  if  she 
did  break  more  than  one  of  the  commandments. 
We  were  obliged  to  overlook  many  vagaries  and 
eccentricities  of  deportment,  if  we  hoped  to  keep  a 
maid  on  the  frontier  at  that  time.  A  woman  of  any 
kind  was  thought  better  than  none. 


192  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 


XXX 

WHEN  travelling  along  the  road  below  Fort  Davis, 
a  white  man,  mounted  on  the  smallest  of  ponies, 
joined  us,  after  asking  permission  to  do  so.  He  was 
a  bright  fellow,  and  we  allowed  him  to  stay  about  the 
tents,  feeding  him  for  what  he  did,  and  he  was  always 
working  at  something. 

When  the  colored  man  was  discharged  we  put  the 
stranger,  Isaac  Bloomfield,  in  his  place,  and  an  ex- 
cellent hand  he  proved  to  be  at  almost  everything. 
He  was  an  Englishman,  and  had  been  in  the  English 
navy,  where,  he  told  me,  he  "  got  more  kicks  than 
ha'-pence." 

When  we  could  no  longer  close  our  eyes  to  the 
delinquencies  of  our  maid,  we  told  her  we  had  no 
further  use  for  her  valuable  services,  and  she  left ;  so 
Isaac  was  installed  as  cook.  He  did  all  the  house- 
work, except  making  the  beds ;  if  I  had  permitted  it, 
he  would  have  done  that  too.  The  children  were 
devoted  to  him,  and  he  to  them.  He  was  quite  a 
good  plain  cook;  perhaps  I  was  not  very  critical, 
infinitely  preferring  his  cooking  to  my  own. 

One  of  my  pastimes  on  the  frontier  was  the  care 
of  chickens,  gathering  the  eggs,  setting  hens,  etc.  I 
went  many  times  a  day  into  the  coop  to  look  at  and 
talk  to  my  favorites. 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  193 

Before  the  maid  left  us  she  heard  a  great  commo- 
tion one  night  in  the  chicken-house ;  though  lacking 
in  sundry  virtues,  she  was  courageous,  apparently, 
for  she  went  unattended  to  find  out  the  cause  of  the 
disturbance.  On  opening  the  door  she  was  startled 
to  see  a  small  coyote  killing  the  chickens  right  and 
left.  She  ran  into  the  house  to  tell  the  colonel,  who, 
armed  with  his  revolver,  went  with  her,  she  going 
ahead,  holding  the  candle  aloft.  They  bearded  the 
lion  in  his  den ;  in  other  words,  the  coyote  in  the 
chicken-coop.  Mary  was  more  afraid  of  the  report 
of  the  pistol  than  of  the  wolf.  She  jumped  at  every 
shot,  almost  dropping  the  light  in  her  excitement. 

It  took  but  a  few  seconds  to  dispose  of  the  wretched 
beast.  Mad  with  hunger,  he  had  crawled  through  a 
small  opening  in  the  main  door  of  the  coop  which  I 
had  forgotten  to  shut  that  night.  He  killed  a  number 
of  my  setting-hens,  they  being  in  nests  close  to  the 
ground,  while  the  others,  roosting  high,  were  out  of 
reach.  When  discovered  he  had  not  begun  his  feast, 
but  was  making  ready  with  a  liberal  hand.  It  hurt 
my  feelings  to  see  so  many  of  my  precious  chickens 
dead ;  but  as  their  destroyer  was  dead,  too,  I  was 
somewhat  consoled. 

Our  table  was  well  supplied  with  eggs  and  the 
chickens  I  raised,  but  it  was  always  a  difficult  matter 
to  kill  them,  the  children  begging  that  the  life  of  this 
pretty  white  hen  or  that  beautiful  red  rooster  might 
be  spared ;  the  only  way  was  to  have  it  done  without 
their  knowledge. 

As  the  summer  went  by,  the  rooms  in  the  house 
were  finished  one  by  one,  so  that  we  had  a  place  to 

IK  17 


194  7  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

put  any  visitors  who  came  that  way  ;  but  they  did  not 
seem  to  have  much  business  at  Selden,  for  I  only 
remember  having  two  guests,  Colonels  Bridgeman 
and  Carey,  paymasters. 

I  never  objected  to  entertaining  men  ;  they  were 
easily  pleased,  and  willing  to  make  due  allowance 
for  lack  of  variety  of  dainties  in  the  larder.  I  must 
confess  to  a  feeling  of  uneasiness  when  the  wives 
came  too,  lest  they  might  not  be  satisfied  with  our 
very  plain  style  of  housekeeping.  We  had  very  little 
furniture,  and  those  things  which  the  quartermaster 
could  not  supply  we  tried  to  make  ourselves,  or  used 
something  that  answered  the  same  purpose.  For 
instance,  one  of  our  washstands  was  made  of  a  small 
hogshead,  in  which  some  china  had  been  packed. 
It  was  turned  upside  down,  and  round  it  I  tacked  a 
white  muslin  drapery ;  then,  with  a  large  towel  spread 
over  the  top,  the  effect  was  good,  especially  when  the 
pretty  toilet  articles  were  placed  upon  it.  We  made 
a  table  in  the  same  way,  and  this  kind  of  simplicity 
answered  for  ourselves,  but  I  think  some  of  the  lady 
visitors  might  not  have  been  quite  pleased  with  such 
primitive  arrangements. 

At  the  end  of  four  months,  the  colonel's  health 
failed  so  rapidly  the  doctor  told  him  he  must  not 
only  leave  Fort  Selden,  but  New  Mexico,  and  he 
must  lose  no  time  in  going. 

We  arranged  our  affairs  to  start  immediately,  and 
had  an  auction  of  the  furniture,  etc.,  we  did  not  care 
to  keep ;  in  fact,  we  retained  only  such  things  as  were 
absolutely  necessary.  The  high  prices  realized  at  our 
sale  were  absurd,  and  I  was  actually  ashamed  when 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  1 95 

articles  were  bid  up  far  beyond  their  value.  Our 
cook-stove,  which  cost  us  about  forty-five  dollars, 
sold  for  eighty.  My  sewing-machine,  for  which  I 
paid  less  than  forty,  brought  one  hundred  dollars, 
and  everything  went  at  the  same  rate.  A  large  tin  can, 
which  was  full  of  lard  when  we  left  San  Antonio,  had 
a  few  pounds  still  in  it,  and  it  sold  for  more  than  the 
original  cost.  You  see  those  were  the  days  when 
freight  was  carried  from  the  States  in  wagons,  and 
sent  all  over  New  Mexico ;  and  the  cost  of  transpor- 
tation, added  to  the  price  of  the  article  you  wished  to 
purchase,  made  it  very  expensive,  so  that  what  was 
paid  to  us  was  much  less  than  the  merchants  would 
have  charged  for  the  same  thing.  Our  freight  was 
taken  from  the  coast  to  New  Mexico  in  government 
wagons,  so  that  it  cost  us  no  more  than  the  original 
price  and  the  transportation  from  Philadelphia  to 
Texas  by  sea. 

After  Isaac  became  our  cook  we  bought  his  pony. 
It  was  sold  also,  and  as  it  brought  more  than  we  paid 
for  it,  we  divided  the  surplus  with  him,  which  pleased 
him  greatly. 

We  were  much  relieved  to  find  that  we  not  only 
had  not  lost  by  our  auction,  but  made  money;  and, 
as  another  expensive  expedition  was  before  us,  we 
were  glad  to  have  enough  for  our  wants.  We  had 
just  begun  to  recover  financially  from  our  last  jour- 
ney to  New  Mexico,  via  Texas,  and  if  our  sale  had 
failed  to  supply  part  of  the  sum  required  for  the  one 
about  to  be  taken,  we  would  have  been  forced  to  bor- 
row money  to  pay  expenses.  To  have  a  debt  hanging 
over  us  long  would  have  driven  me  insane,  I  believe. 


196  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

I  think  only  two  officers  who  were  at  Fort  Sel- 
den  at  that  time  are  now  in  the  army,  Captains  Rus- 
sell and  Elting.  Dr.  Seguin,  one  of  the  physicians 
stationed  there,  is  now  living  in  New  York,  and  very 
eminent  and  skilful.  I  suppose  he  has  forgotten  the 
experiments  he  delighted  to  make  with  toads  and 
ravens,  feeding  deadly  poisons  to  them,  some  of  which 
had  no  effect  whatever.  Selden  was  a  fine  field  for 
one  who  desired  to  test  the  efficacy  of  certain  drugs 
on  toads,  for  the  place  was  swarming  with  them,  so 
that  I  disliked  going  out  of  doors  at  night,  at  which 
time  they  took  possession  of  every  walk  and  road 
about  the  place.  You  were  sure,  almost,  if  you 
stepped  outside  your  door,  to  feel  a  soft,  wriggling 
mass  under  your  foot.  With  a  screech  you  jumped 
to  the  other  side,  only  to  land  on  a  second  toad ;  by 
that  time  you  were  ready  to  go  home. 

One  beautiful  July  morning  we  drove  away  from 
Fort  Selden  with  not  one  pang  of  regret,  and  dry- 
eyed.  We  were  bound  for  Santa  Fe,  and  our  faithful 
Isaac  was  with  us,  as  overseer  in  general  and  in 
charge  of  the  culinary  department  in  particular. 
There  was  sorrow  in  our  first  camp.  Our  beautiful 
buggy  horse  fell  sick,  and  died  in  a  few  hours.  The 
tears  we  failed  to  shed  that  morning  when  leaving 
Selden  flowed  freely  for  him  at  night. 

Science  and  human  energy  had  wrought  a  wonder- 
ful change  in  the  "  Jornado  del  Muerto"  since  we 
made  that  anxious  and  exciting  night  march  across 
it  in  July,  1861. 

About  in  the  centre  of  it  an  artesian  well  had  been 
sunk,  and  an  abundance  of  good  water  was  the  result. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  197 

A  comfortable  ranch  was  built,  with  a  high  stockade 
about  it  for  protection,  and  strangers  who  desired  to 
remain  were  given  accommodations.  It  was  really 
an  oasis  in  the  desert.  All  government  animals  and 
employes  used  the  water  without  charge,  but  it  was 
sold  to  citizen  travellers. 

We  drove  along  the  old  familiar  road  without  inci- 
dent or  accident,  except  the  upsetting  of  one  of  the 
wagons  while  going  down  a  very  steep  hill.  I  was 
perfectly  unmoved  when  I  saw  it  turn  a  somersault, 
knowing  there  was  nothing  in  it  that  could  be  in- 
jured. All  the  good  china  and  small  amount  of  fur- 
niture we  had  was  disposed  of  before  leaving  Fort 
Selden,  and  there  was  nothing  in  our  mess-chest  but 
tin  plates,  cups  without  handles,  dilapidated  saucers, 
and  dishes  to  match. 

One  evening  we  camped  on  a  high  bluff,  not  far 
from  a  Pueblo  or  Indian  village.  The  inhabitants 
were  peaceful,  law-abiding  citizens,  who  as  yet  had 
not  adopted  the  conventional  evening-dress.  Our 
camp  in  their  immediate  neighborhood  was  as  good 
as  a  circus  to  them ;  they  fairly  crowded  about  the 
tents,  where  preparations  for  supper  were  going  on, 
which  they  watched  with  intense  interest. 

Biscuit-dough  was  made  up,  cut  out,  and  ready  to 
be  baked,  coffee  ground,  etc. 

The  air  was  hot ;  storm-clouds  lowered  in  the  sky ; 
the  Indians  wore  heavy  blankets,  at  which  I  won- 
dered, but  I  was  only  a  short  time  finding  out  there 
was  not  a  vestige  of  clothing  beneath  them.  While 
watching  everything  intently,  the  wearers  were 
overcome  with  the  heat,  and  away  went  the 

17* 


198  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

blankets  until  they  cooled  off  sufficiently  to  replace 
them. 

Soon  the  wind  began  to  blow  in  little  ominous 
puffs,  and  the  board  with  the  unbaked  biscuit  upon  it 
was  carried  into  the  tent,  while  all  the  articles  lying 
around  were  hastily  gathered  up  and  put  in  a  safe 
place, — none  too  soon,  for  the  storm  burst  upon  us 
suddenly,  scattering  the  light  red  dust  over  every- 
thing inside  and  outside  of  the  tent,  ornamenting  our 
pretty  white  unbaked  biscuit  with  a  coating  of  the 
finest  red  sand. 

My  uninvited  guests  left  hurriedly  to  seek  shelter 
from  the  abundant  showers  that  fell,  and  we  were  glad 
to  have  them  go,  though  the  cause  of  their  hasty 
departure  deprived  us  of  our  supper  that  night. 
Everything  prepared  was  ruined,  and  had  to  be 
thrown  away,  so  that  we  had  nothing  but  stale  bread 
to  eat,  which  at  least  kept  us  from  starving. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  199 


XXXI 

As  there  were  several  Mexican  and  Indian  settle- 
ments along  the  Rio  Grande,  the  journey  was  much 
less  tiresome  than  many  we  had  made,  where  for 
hundreds  of  miles  there  was  not  a  house  to  be  seen 
in  early  days. 

Socorro  was  one  of  the  towns  through  which  we 
passed,  and  where  we  had  stopped  at  the  house  of  an 
American  living  there  very  comfortably. 

I  remember  an  incident  that  happened  once  when 
going  down  the  country.  Some  miles  before  we 
reached  Socorro,  the  road  ran  over  what  was  called 
the  "  Sand-Hills,"  where  the  travelling  was  slow  and 
difficult,  and  the  wagons  fell  behind  the  ambulance 
some  little  distance. 

I  was  riding  with  the  colonel  in  the  buggy,  when 
our  attention  was  attracted  to  the  manoeuvres  of  some 
men  on  ponies,  who  were  circling  round  and  round 
on  the  low  sand-hills,  about  six  hundred  yards  to  the 
right  of  us.  There  were,  I  suppose,  twelve  in  all,  and 
in  true  Indian  fashion  they  wrapped  their  blankets 
about  their  bodies  in  thick  folds  before  dashing  up 
the  road  to  meet  us.  Every  one  was  certain  they 
were  Navajos  from  their  actions.  When  I  went  back 
into  the  ambulance  the  driver  assured  me  "  Them 
zvas  Navajos,  because  he  had  just  been  in  their  coun- 


20O  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

try  and  knowed  'em"  and  he  took  his  rifle  in  hand  for 
business.  The  two  or  three  soldiers  with  us  had  their 
rifles  ready  and  cocked.  The  colonel  was  on  the 
ground  by  the  head  of  the  horse,  with  his  arm  through 
the  bridle  and  a  revolver  in  his  hand.  For  a  few 
moments  the  suspense  was  awful ;  no  one  in  the  am- 
bulance spoke,  as  we  watched  the  supposed  Indians 
galloping,  with  arms  and  legs  working,  to  the  top  of 
the  hill. 

When  they  saw  our  warlike  attitude  they  shouted 
"  Amigos"  (friends),  and  affected  much  surprise  that 
they  were  mistaken  for  Indians.  They  were  "  Mexi- 
canos,"  and  meant  no  harm, — so  they  said.  Prob- 
ably, if  they  had  not  found  us  as  well  prepared  as  we 
were  to  receive  them,  they  would  have  attacked  us 
for  plunder  or  murder,  as  the  case  might  be. 

When  the  matter  was  mentioned  to  the  American 
in  Socorro,  he  was  very  indignant,  and  said  it  had 
been  done  intentionally ;  that  the  escort  should  have 
fired  upon  them,  as  they  undoubtedly  had  designs 
upon  us. 

So  you  see  I  was  always  anxious  when  travelling 
with  small  parties,  and  I  am  certain  I  had  enough  of 
"  sudden  fears"  to  turn  my  hair  gray  in  a  "  single 
night ;"  but  in  my  case  something  more  was  required, 
for  it  has  not  changed  color  to  this  day,  although  I 
have  had  shocks  sufficient  to  ruin  my  nervous  system 
and  whiten  my  locks. 

On  another  occasion  we  were  going  from  Santa  Fe 
to  Fort  Union,  when  we  came  to  a  place  where  the 
road  forked.  Just  at  that  point  was  a  burro  (or  don- 
key), seemingly  just  killed.  I  wondered  that  it  should 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  2OI 

be  lying  there,  but  could  get  no  explanation  from  the 
colonel,  or  the  escort,  how  it  came  to  be  dead  on  the 
road,  although  they  knew  all  the  circumstances  from 
a  traveller  whom  we  had  met.  He  said  a  party  of 
Indians  had  crossed  the  road  a  little  while  before,  and 
meeting  a  Mexican,  murdered  him  and  killed  the 
burro,  leaving  its  body  on  the  spot  to  show  others 
what  might  be  their  fate.  I  do  not  know  what  had 
been  done  with  the  body  of  the  man ;  we  only  saw 
the  little  dead  burro.  Every  one  was  on  the  watch, 
until  we  were  miles  away  from  the  place  where  the 
poor  wretch  had  been  murdered;  then  I  was  told 
of  it. 

When  we  reached  Santa  Fe  in  the  summer  of  1869, 
we  obtained  permission  to  occupy  some  empty  quar- 
ters at  Fort  Marcy,  where  we  decided  to  remain  for 
a  few  months.  The  weather  was  perfect, — very  different 
from  that  we  had  left  at  Fort  Selden. 

Our  scant  allowance  of  furniture  was  arranged  in 
the  rooms  in  a  few  moments,  and  assuredly  did  not 
strike  our  visitors  as  being  luxurious.  Many  no 
we  doubt  thought  we  were  not  even  comfortable, 
but  were  quite  content  and  very  happy,  although  our 
only  carpet  was  an  old  tent-fly,  our  beds  four  cots, 
making  the  room  look  like  a  ward  in  the  hospital,  Dr. 
Huntington  said.  At  the  window  I  tacked  up  a  red 
army  blanket  for  a  curtain,  and  with  two  or  three 
camp  chairs  you  have  the  contents  of  the  apart- 
ment. 

Army  people  were  not  surprised  at  the  meagre 
display  of  adornment,  but  I  thought  civilians  were 
rather  startled;  however,  I  took  no  trouble  to  ex- 


202  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

plain,  nor  to  apologize  for  appearances.  I  was  not 
afraid  of  robbers,  having  nothing  anybody  would 
carry  off.  Our  quarters  were  left  to  the  mercy  of  any 
one  who  chose  to  enter.  Isaac  still  presided  in  the 
kitchen,  and  kept  the  house  in  good  order. 

Early  in  the  fall  (I  believe  it  was),  Annie,  daughter 
of  General  Getty,  U.S.A.  was  married  to  Charles 
McClure,  U.S.A.  The  wedding  was  as  brilliant  as  it 
was  possible  to  have  it  at  that  time ;  there  was  no 
railroad  to  bring  flowers  and  dainties  from  "  the 
States;"  but  the  supper  was  very  handsome  and 
everybody  was  there  to  enjoy  it. 

In  1869  we  found  the  mail  facilities  much  improved 
since  our  former  visits  to  Santa  Fe.  There  was  a 
daily  stage  running  to  and  from  the  end  of  the  rail- 
road then  being  built  towards  New  Mexico,  a  won- 
derful change  from  the  monthly  mail  of  yore.  While 
on  the  frontier  we  received  a  great  deal  of  our 
clothing  through  the  mails,  as  express  charges  were 
very  high,  often  amounting  to  more  than  the  cost  of 
the  article  received. 

When  we  were  stationed  at  Fort  Union  I  ordered 
a  melodeon  from  Philadelphia,  and  on  the  box  was 
marked  distinctly,  "  to  be  sent  by  first  wagon-train 
from  Fort  Riley,  Kansas,  to  Fort  Union,  New  Mex- 
ico." By  some  blunder  it  was  sent  out  on  the  stage 
as  express  matter,  and  the  charges  were  "  fifty-three 
dollars."  The  melodeon  cost  fifty. 

The  pleasure  it  gave  me  more  than  compensated 
for  the  large  amount  paid  for  getting  it  out.  There 
was  not  then  a  piano  at  the  post,  and,  although  a 
melodeon  is  a  mournful,  grunty,  wheezy  instrument, 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

a  cross  between  an  accordion  and  an  indifferent  organ, 
it  was  much  better  than  nothing. 

When  we  left  New  Mexico  it  was  bought  from  us 
for  one  hundred  dollars,  to  be  used  in  a  Protestant 
church  in  Santa  Fe,  then  struggling  for  a  foothold, 
which  it  secured  at  last,  after  great  perseverance.  In 
it  there  is  now  a  good  organ.  What  has  become  of 
the  melodeon  since  the  advent  of  its  more  pretentious 
relation,  I  never  heard. 

There  were  many  pleasant  army  families  in  Santa 
Fe  between  the  years  1866  and  1869.  These,  with 
the  citizens,  made  a  large  circle  of  refined  and  culti- 
vated people.  Among  them  were  Governor  and  Mrs. 
Mitchell,  Judge  and  Mrs.  Slough,  Judge  and  Mrs. 
Houghton,  General  Getty  and  family,  Colonel  and 
Mrs.  A.  B.  Carey,  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Bridgman,  Major 
Rucker,  the  Rochesters,  Kobbes,  Bells,  Watts,  Dr. 
Huntington  and  wife,  Dr.  McKee,  Charles  McClure 
and  wife,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Griffin,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elkins, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edgar,  and  many  others  whose  names 
I  cannot  now  recall.  Altogether  we  had  a  charming 
society. 

I  have  scarcely  more  than  mentioned  that  most 
important  beast  of  burden  in  New  Mexico, — the  burro, 
or  donkey.  No  load  is  too  heavy  nor  awkward  for 
him  to  carry,  it  seems.  Wood  was  brought  from  the 
hills  to  the  towns,  cut  and  ready  for  the  fire,  fastened 
on  his  back  and  sides  by  raw-hide  thongs.  He  was 
loaded  down  with  masses  of  fodder,  which  left  noth- 
ing to  be  seen  of  him  but  eyes,  ears,  and  hoofs.  In- 
deed, there  was  nothing  to  be  transported  that  a 
Mexican  did  not  strap  to  a  burro ;  very  frequently 


204  7  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

two  men  rode  the  same  little  beast,  guiding  him  by 
punches  in  the  head  and  neck  with  a  sharp  stick. 

Nothing  caused  such  agonizing  fear  in  a  mule  as 
the  sight  of  a  loaded  burro ;  they  did  not  recognize 
each  other  as  brothers.  Sometimes,  when  riding 
quietly  along  the  road,  we  would  come  suddenly  upon 
a  drove  of  burros  with  their  packs;  instantly  the 
mules  were  terror-stricken,  trying  to  push  to  the  side 
of  the  road,  or  even  to  turn  round, — anything  to  get 
away  from  those  moving  masses,  the  locomotive 
power  of  which  they  could  not  understand ;  even  the 
sight  of  the  burro  himself  was  not  reassuring.  It 
was  a  happy  day  for  the  children  when  wood  was 
brought  to  the  house  on  a  burro.  He  was  driven 
into  the  corral,  where,  by  a  dexterous  pull  at  a  raw- 
hide string,  his  load  fell  to  the  ground,  and  the  patient 
little  animal  was  relieved  for  a  moment.  But  as  soon 
as  the  wood  was  off  his  back  the  children  were  on  it, 
and  round  and  round  they  rode  as  long  as  the  polite, 
lazy  Mexican  would  stay,  and  he  never  seemed  to  be 
in  a  hurry.  The  burro's  feelings  were  not  consulted ; 
his  labors  were  arduous,  his  pleasures  few.  Six  years 
ago  the  burro  was  still  carrying  the  same  heavy  loads 
as  of  old,  in  Santa  Fe,  droves  of  them  appearing  in 
the  narrow  streets,  closely  followed  by  their  owners, 
Mexicans  and  Indians,  who  seemed  to  have  a  won- 
derful faculty  for  keeping  them  in  the  path.  Did  one 
wander  to  the  right  or  left,  tempted  by  the  sight  of 
a  morsel  of  paper  or  handful  of  shavings,  off  of 
which  he  hoped  to  lunch,  he  was  soon  made  aware 
of  his  indiscretion  by  a  punch  from  the  sharp  stick, 
and  a  vigorous  "  Shoo !"  from  his  master,  when  he 


I  MARRIED  A    SOLDIER.  2O$ 

would  again  meekly  join  his  companions,  fully  con- 
vinced of  the  folly,  on  his  part,  of  trying  to  enjoy 
himself  even  in  a  mild  way. 

As  the  fall  advanced  we  decided  to  push  on  to 
Fort  Union,  where  we  were  to  make  final  prepara- 
tions to  cross  the  Northern  Plains  for  the  seventh 
time.  When  our  trunks  and  mess-chest  were  packed 
and  beds  rolled  up  we  were  ready  to  start,  and  I 
said  farewell  to  Santa  Fe,  not  dreaming  of  seeing  it 
and  "  Old  Baldy's"  hoary  head  ever  again,  but  we 
have  been  to  the  ancient  city  several  times  since. 

We  remained  at  Fort  Union  some  days.  Before 
we  left  we  were  serenaded  by  the  band  of  the  Third 
Cavalry,  formerly  Mounted  Rifles. 

After  the  music  was  over  the  soldiers  drank  to  the 
health  of  their  old  officer  and,  as  they  expressed  it, 
"  his  lady." 

The  weather  was  delightful  for  travelling,  though 
the  nights  were  more  than  cool.  Just  as  soon  as 
Colonel  Lane  was  well  enough  to  go  we  were  off. 

We  remained  a  night  and  part  of  a  day  at  Max- 
well's Ranch  in  the  Ute  country,  the  Indians  coming 
and  going  about  the  house,  evidently  without  restric- 
tion, so  that  they  did  not  hesitate  to  walk  right  into 
our  room  when  they  saw  the  door  open.  One  of 
them,  a  great  tall  chief,  I  offended  mortally ;  with 
majestic  mien  he  strode  into  the  house,  rolled  in  his 
blanket  and  wearing  on  his  head  a  tall  black  felt  hat 
with  a  feather  in  it.  After  he  had  shaken  hands  with 
the  colonel, — but  taking  no  notice  of  me  whatever, — 
I  walked  up  to  him  and  said,  "  Soldier,"  in  Spanish. 
Staring  at  me  with  the  utmost  scorn,  he  sailed  out  of 

18 


206  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

the  room  without  a  word.  Whether  he  did  not  like 
to  be  called  a  soldier,  or  was  indignant  that  a  white 
squaw  had  spoken  to  him,  I  could  not  tell,  but  he 
did  not  return. 

A  round  piece  of  tin  cut  from  a  tomato-can,  and 
thrown  out  of  doors,  afforded  the  greatest  satisfaction 
to  the  fortunate  finder,  and  he  and  a  friend  gravely 
discussed  the  question  as  to  where  it  would  show  to 
best  advantage,  on  scalp-lock,  necklace,  or  bracelet. 

At  Trinidad  we  found  quite  a  village  had  sprung 
up,  and  a  small  tavern,  where  travellers  were  enter- 
tained. Like  all  new  far  Western  towns,  its  repu- 
tation was  most  unsavory,  and  it  was  a  question 
whether  to  stay  in  the  house  and  run  the  risk  of 
being  robbed  and  murdered,  or  camp  in  the  cold 
away  from  the  town.  We  concluded  we  liked  the 
shelter  of  four  stout  walls  more  than  the  airy  ones 
of  the  tent,  and  went  to  the  tavern. 

Every  man  you  met  wore,  as  a  matter  of  course,  a 
revolver  and  knife  to  be  ready  for  all  emergencies, 
quarrels  being  frequently  brought  about  for  the  mere 
pleasure  of  fighting.  One  of  the  first  things  that 
struck  me  always  when  we  reached  civilization  was 
the  absence  of  the  belt  from  a  man's  waist,  in  which 
he  carried  all  kinds  of  weapons ;  we  were  so  accus- 
tomed to  the  sight  on  the  frontier,  I  missed  it.  It 
was  pleasant,  though,  to  feel  one  might  go  half  a  mile 
from  his  home  without  running  the  risk  of  being 
murdered,  and  that  it  was  not  necessary  to  be  always 
armed. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  2O? 


XXXII 

OUR  road  ran  through  (or  near)  Fort  Lyon,  Colo- 
rado, where  we  spent  a  day  at  Colonel  W.  H.  Pen- 
rose's  pleasant  home,  and  enjoyed  the  change  and 
rest. 

At  our  first  halting-place  after  leaving  that  post 
we  were  overtaken  by  Captain  Yates  and  his  troop  of 
Seventh  Cavalry.  We  stayed  all  night  at  the  small 
board  shanty  used  as  a  mail-station,  occupying  the 
state  apartment,  I  suppose,  for  the  walls  were  papered 
with  illustrations  from  various  pictorials.  I  had  a  sus- 
picion the  pictures  were  put  there  more  to  keep  out 
the  wind — of  which  there  is  an  undue  allowance  of 
kind  and  quality  in  Colorado — than  to  embellish  the 
room.  A  bright  and  cheery  little  place  it  was,  with 
windows  that  commanded  a  view  of  the  country  for 
miles  in  every  direction,  and  the  road  along  which 
travelled  those  brave  cavalrymen  with  their  much- 
loved  captain  at  the  head  of  the  column.  They  were 
going  our  way  for  several  days,  and  we  were  glad  of 
the  addition  to  our  small  escort,  and  sorry  when  the 
time  came  to  separate.  I  never  met  Captain  Yates 
again.  He  and  his  gallant  soldiers  were  massacred 
with  Custer  and  his  command,  none  returning  to  tell 
the  tale. 

From  Fort  Lyon  we  travelled  through  a  part  of 


208  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

the  country  we  had  never  seen  before  to  Fort  Wal- 
lace, of  which  post  we  had  heard  frequently,  and  gen- 
erally disagreeably. 

A  friend  I  had  known  well  at  Fort  Union,  New 
Mexico,  and  for  whom  I  had  a  most  tender  regard, 
died  of  cholera  at  Fort  Wallace,  while  on  her  way  to 
New  York.  The  fearful  disease  broke  out  among 
the  soldiers  going  East ;  she  went  about  doing  every- 
thing in  her  power  to  relieve  the  sick,  until  she  be- 
came a  victim  herself,  and  died  in  a  short  time.  She 
was  the  wife  of  Colonel  Henry  Bankhead,  U.S.A., 
and  a  daughter  of  the  late  Bishop  Wainright,  of  New 
York. 

Her  heart  was  light  when  she  left  us  at  Fort  Union 
at  the  prospect  of  so  soon  seeing  her  home  and 
friends.  In  a  few  weeks  came  the  news  that  she  had 
died  in  a  tent  at  (or  not  far  from)  Fort  Wallace. 

So  my  ideas  of  the  place  were  not  pleasant,  and 
were  unchanged  when  we  saw  it.  The  kindness  ex- 
tended to  us  by  Major  Butler  and  wife,  of  an  infantry 
regiment,  we  cannot  forget,  they  taking  care  of  us  all 
most  hospitably.  We  were  sorry  that  he  and  his 
family  were  obliged  to  live  at  such  a  dreary  frontier 
post. 

When  we  left  Fort  Wallace  we  went  as  straight  as 
we  could  travel  to  the  end  of  the  railroad,  where  we 
found  a  small  settlement  named  after  a  big  man, — 
Sheridan.  The  hotel  was  a  good-sized  weather-board 
shell,  in  which  were  two  stories  of  stalls  called 
"  rooms."  The  partitions  were  only  seven  or  eight 
feet  high,  and  privacy  was  out  of  the  question.  Had 
"  Peeping  Tom"  been  there,  he  could  have  plied  his 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  2Og 

trade  and  satisfied  his  curiosity  without  any  attempt 
at  secrecy,  the  cracks  in  the  boards  being  wide  enough 
to  admit  the  boldest  stare. 

Our  "  stall"  was  quite  large,  having  two  beds  in  it, 
but  the  supply  of  water  for  bathing  purposes  was 
extremely  limited ;  a  quart  pitcher  would  have  held 
all  which  we  found  in  the  room,  and  which  we  used 
recklessly,  calling  loudly  for  "more  water."  We 
were  told  we  could  have  no  more  until  next  day,  the 
spring  being  a  great  distance  from  the  house.  As 
we  were  to  leave  the  following  morning,  we  wondered 
where  the  water  was  to  come  from  for  our  early  ab- 
lutions. It  was  soon  made  clear  to  us,  if  we  were  so 
very  particular  as  to  require  water  every  day,  we  must 
use  over  again  that  which  we  were  about  to  discard ; 
so  I  placed  the  basin  with  the  soap-suds  in  it  on  the 
floor  for  safe-keeping.  When  retiring,  I  put  my 
shoes  and  stockings  not  far  away  from  the  precious 
water.  By  some  means  it  was  upset,  and  the  only 
foot-covering  I  had  at  hand  was  saturated.  The 
colonel,  having  caused  the  disaster,  meekly  gathered 
everything  up,  repaired  to  the  hotel  parlor,  and  dried 
them  before  the  fire,  regardless  of  the  assembled 
guests.  It  was  useless  in  that  house  to  try  to  do 
anything  secretly.  The  sounds  from  bar-room  and 
kitchen,  not  to  mention  odors,  were  distinctly  audible 
and  apparent  in  every  part  of  the  establishment,  and 
an  odd  mixture  of  conversation  reached  us  from  the 
rooms  around  us. 

Dr.  Alexander,  U.S.A.,  and  family  were  at  the  hotel 
that  same  night, — they  on  their  way  to  New  Mexico, 
we  going  East. 

o  18* 


2IO  /  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

What  a  pleasure  it  was  to  be  on  a  train  of  cars  and 
hear  the  conductor  shout  to  the  tardy  ones,  "All 
aboard  !"  and  to  feel  ourselves  rattling  over  the  coun- 
try to  Kansas  City.  We  did  not  realize  that  when 
we  reached  Sheridan  the  old  army-life  for  us  was 
ended.  Had  I  known,  I  would  have  lingered  fondly 
about  our  last  camp  and  have  said  good-by  to  the 
faithful,  sturdy  little  mules  that  had  brought  us  so 
safely  over  many  weary  miles. 

Our  last  long  march  began  at  Fort  Selden,  New 
Mexico,  and  ended  at  Sheridan,  Kansas.  We  went 
East,  fully  expecting  to  return  to  the  frontier  in  a  few 
months,  but  it  was  not  to  be. 

At  Kansas  City  we  parted  with  our  faithful  Isaac, 
to  the  deep  distress  of  the  children.  He  secured  a 
situation  from  the  quartermaster  at  Fort  Leavenworth, 
and  passed  out  of  our  knowledge. 

Our  daughter,  whom  we  had  left  at  school,  waited 
anxiously  for  our  arrival,  and  we  were  happy  to  be 
all  together  once  more. 

As  I  mentioned  before,  we  never  returned  to  our 
old  frontier  life  again.  We  have  been  in  New  Mexico, 
California,  and  Texas  several  times  since,  but  only  as 
visitors.  Colonel  Lane  was  retired  from  active  ser- 
vice in  1870,  to  my  great  grief. 

It  seemed  impossible  at  the  time  that  I  could  ever 
settle  down  to  quiet,  civilized,  respectable  life,  and 
remain  in  the  same  place  year  after  year.  I  had  be- 
come so  accustomed  to  change  station  every  few 
months,  I  liked  it,  and  was  always  ready  and  glad  to 
go  when  an  order  came  to  move.  We  had  never 
lived  more  than  six  months  at  one  post,  and  three  or 


I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  211 

four  in  the  same  place  gave  us  the  feeling  of  old  in- 
habitants. We  made  nine  moves  in  eighteen  months 
in  New  Mexico,  and  I  did  not  object  at  all.  I  soon 
fell  into  the  habit  of  putting  very  few  tacks  in  curtains 
and  carpets,  so  that  but  little  force  was  required  to 
haul  down  one  and  pull  up  the  other,  and  in  a  short 
time  everything  was  packed  and  ready  for  a  march. 

Such  rapid  preparations  cannot  be  made  now-a- 
days,  nor  is  there  any  necessity  for  it,  as  there  was 
years  ago.  Time  is  required  to  dismantle  and  break 
up  the  beautiful  home  even  the  youngest  lieutenant 
now  occupies.  Professional  packers  are  needed  to 
insure  the  safe  transportation  of  the  lovely  glass, 
china,  and  exquisite  pictures  found  in  so  many  army 
quarters  to-day.  Then,  when  everything  is  ready,  it 
is  stowed  away  in  a  freight-car,  chartered  most  prob- 
ably by  the  said  lieutenant  at  his  own  expense,  to 
carry  his  "  traps"  to  a  new  station. 

Army  quarters  are  better,  distance  is  annihilated 
by  steam,  transportation  is  excellent,  even  to  remote 
stations ;  but  yet,  with  all  these  advantages  and  so- 
called  modern  improvements,  are  army  officers  and 
their  families  happier  than  those  of  thirty  or  more 
years  ago  ?  I  tell  you,  nay  ! 

I  was  much  impressed  at  the  time  of  the  late  Sioux 
outbreak  with  the  contrast  between  an  old-time 
"  scout"  and  the  modern  way  of  going  to  war  with 
Indians.  Our  heroes  mounted  their  horses  and  away 
they  rode  into  the  wilderness,  to  be  gone  for  weeks  or 
months,  as  the  case  might  be,  while  all  the  news  we 
had  of  them  was  brought  by  a  guide  or  soldier, 
mounted  on  a  swift  horse,  and  who  very  often  risked 


212  I  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

his  life  to  bring  news  to  the  post.  This  mode  of 
carrying  despatches  was  called  an  "  express."  Im- 
agine the  excitement  when  we  heard  "  an  express" 
from  the  scout  had  arrived.  We  did  not  dare  to 
think  how  long  a  time  had  elapsed  since  the  man  had 
left  it  with  his  letters,  private  and  official,  and  what 
might  be  the  fate  of  the  party  since  his  departure. 

All  this  is  changed  now,  and  an  Indian  war  is  car- 
ried on  differently.  The  troops  and  horses  are  loaded 
on  steam-cars,  howitzers  and  ammunition  sent  to 
"  the  front"  in  the  same  way,  while  the  telegraph  is 
in  constant  operation  noting  the  arrival  and  departure 
of  regiments,  asking  for  supplies,  and  sending  the 
news  of  the  last  brush  with  the  enemy  far  and  wide 
over  the  land.  And,  strangest  of  all,  the  ladies  at  one 
of  the  posts  in  Nebraska,  by  going  to  a  village  three 
miles  away,  could  actually  talk  to  their  husbands,  then 
at  the  seat  of  war,  through  the  telephone!  v  This 
seemed  to  bring  the  matter  right  into  their  own 
homes.  It  was  something  I  could  scarcely  believe 
or  understand,  this  righting  Indians  with  all  the 
modern  improvements,  so  different  from  the  old  slow 
way.  And  the  savages,  too,  have  changed  somewhat 
their  methods  of  warfare. 

The  scions  of  the  various  tribes  have  been  educated 
by  the  government  and  well  drilled  in  military  tactics 
at  schools  in  the  East,  so  that  when  they  return  to 
the  tepees  in  the  far  West  they  are  quite  capable  of 
teaching  the  ways  of  the  white  man  to  their  fathers 
and  brothers,  and  the  proper  and  most  advantageous 
use  of  their  guns  of  newest  pattern. 


/  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER.  213 


XXXIII 

YEARS  have  passed  since  the  events  in  this  simple 
history  occurred;  many  more  have  been  forgotten. 
No  notes  nor  journal  of  much  importance  were  ever 
kept  of  our  wanderings,  which  in  after-years  we 
regretted  exceedingly.  In  the  roving  life  we  led, 
travelling  at  least  eight  thousand  miles  in  an  ambu- 
lance, we  saw  much  that  was  novel  and  interesting, 
had  thrilling  adventures  frequently,  but  I  cannot  re- 
call them  with  sufficient  distinctness  to  tell  of  them, 
and,  besides,  your  patience  must  now  be  waning,  after 
following  me  thus  far  in  these  reminiscences  of  old 
army  days. 

My  experience  was  that  of  hundreds  of  other 
women,  many  of  whom  are  far  more  capable  than  I 
of  telling  the  story;  but  few,  if  any,  have  done  it,  and 
only  the  younger  ones,  with  no  knowledge  of  ante- 
bellum days. 

Our  daughters  have  followed  in  the  footsteps  of 
grandmother  and  mother,  and  married  army  officers, 
— cavalry  officers. 

The  relics  of  our  "  old  army"  days  are  few  now ; 
but  occasionally  in  unpacking  our  chests  and  trunks, 
stowed  away  in  a  garret,  I  find  something  that  brings 
by-gone  years  vividly  before  me ;  it  may  be  a  tarnished 
shoulder-strap,  a  spur,  or  a  big  knife  in  its  leather 


214  *  MARRIED  A   SOLDIER. 

sheath ;  each  has  its  history,  and  I  dream  while  hold- 
ing them  in  my  hand ;  the  lapse  of  time  is  forgott&v^ 
I  am  young  again,  wandering  through  the  old  familiar 
scenes. 

Not  long  ago  I  came  across  the  battered  tin  box 
in  which  our  daily  luncheon  was  carried  when  trav- 
elling from  camp  to  camp.  The  paint  was  worn  off 
the  top,  reminding  me  of  a  hoary-headed  veteran, 
"  grown  gray  in  the  service." 

As  I  raised  the  lid  a  faint  odor  seemed  to  rise 
from  its  depths,  and  in  a  second  memory  was  busy 
with  the  past,  travelling  back  to  the  old  happy  days 
when  the  little  tired,  hungry  children  with  eager  out- 
stretched hands  stood  .by  my  side  waiting  to  be 
served.  With  a  sigh  I  closed  the  box,  putting  it 
aside  as  worthless,  to  be  thrown  away,  but  the  tender 
recollections  awakened  by  the  sight  of  the  old  friend 
were  too  strong.  Hurriedly  seizing  it,  I  cleared  a 
comfortable  corner  in  a  chest  and  carefully  replaced 
the  worn-out  box,  retiring  it,  like  an  old  soldier,  from 
active  service  forever ! 

And,  lest  you  weary  of  this  o'er-true  tale,  I  will 
"  retire"  too. 


THE   END. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
BERKELEY 

Return  to  desk  from  which  borrowed. 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


MAY  19 1953  LU 
6AUG'59DF 
REC'D  LD 

OCT261S59 


TERUBRARY 


LD  21-100m-7,'52(A2528sl6)476 


204(6 


